I had a difficult time researching how school age children are
assessed in other parts of the world. I
did find information about Rudolf Steiner & Steiner Schools; which are in
all parts of the world. “What is Steiner
education? Steiner education: Works for
all children irrespective of academic ability, class, ethnicity
or religion; A Steiner education takes account of the needs of the whole child
– academic, physical, emotional and spiritual. It is based on an understanding
of the relevance of the different phases of child development. Steiner
students develop a love of learning and an enthusiasm for school sees artistic
activity and the development of the imagination as integral to learning.
Steiner schools have
been tried and tested and is part of state funded, mainstream provision in most
European countries. Steiner school are respected worldwide for its ability to produce
very able young people who have a strong sense of self and diverse capacities
that enable them to become socially and economically responsible citizens. How Steiner schools assess pupils? Continuous assessment is integral to the
teaching method. This works well in a
system whereby one teacher remains with the same group of children over a
period of years. This allows the teacher
to get to know each pupil extremely well and reduces the dependency on
performance data from tests to get a snapshot of pupils’ progress in learning.
In principle, Steiner Schools avoid setting pupils against
each other in a competitive sense. They do
acknowledge that children enjoy challenges and do set challenges; but these challenges do not
necessarily have to take the form of testing. The schools priority is to
develop a wide spectrum of skills and competencies in all pupils and to
appreciate every child for their own individuality and for what they can do.
This does not lend itself to quantitative assessment.
The absence of reliance on testing and exams avoids
unnecessary tension and disruption to learning, especially for young children,
although some tests are used in a low-key way, e.g. weekly spelling tests. Older pupils are offered a relatively limited
range of GCSE’s and A levels or recognized equivalents, although these are
usually taken a year later than in mainstream schools. Results are well above
the national average, although GCSE results are not included in the national
league tables where they are taken a year later. There is regular communication
with parents through individual meetings and through term class meetings and
the class teacher aims to work with the parent where there is a difficulty. Parents receive a detailed written report for
each pupil annually. Steiner schools are inspected by OFSTED and are required
to meet their standards before being fully registered with the DCFS.
A Commitment
to the whole Child
When
considering the commitment to viewing “the whole child” I believe if anything,
a child’s character should be measured and assessed. Having a good character
will help children
to build a strong foundation
for a purposeful, productive, and fulfilling life. I think that teaching children
how to be thoughtful, confident, self-aware, and respectful of those around
them prepares them for
adulthood. If they lack character, brains and success do not matter much,
“All of
us who are parents naturally want our children to be successful. However, we know in our bones that it is
their character – their honesty, sense of responsibility, kindness,
perseverance in the face of difficulty, courage in the face of danger or social
pressure – that makes them human. If they lack these, brains and success do not
count for much. The novelist Walker
Percy once said, "Some people get all A's but flunk life.” In living a
life well, as a proverb puts it, "An ounce of character is worth a pound
of intelligence (Licona)."
