Assessments/Grenada, West Indies

ASSESSMENT/Standardized Testing

Children's assessments take place about many different things and in many different ways. Considering a commitment to viewing young children holistically, I believe children should only be assessed after careful observations of their biosocial, cognitive and psychosocial development. If assessments are warranted then they should be designed in such a way so as to clarify those weaknesses seen in previous observations.  Each child’s assessment should be done differently because each child may have different needs and should not be judged based on their peers level of development because children mature differently at different ages and stages (Piaget1896-1980).

In what ways are school-age children assessed in other parts of the world? (Choose a country or region of the world for which you have a personal affinity.)

GRENADA – “In primary or elementary education these subjects are compulsory. They include; Mathematics, English Language, General Science,   Social Studies, Arts and Crafts, Religious Education, Physical Education and singing.” Each area is broken down into sub-units and children are assessed in each area continuously throughout the term or semester. At the end of each term a final exam is given to grade the children’s performance in each area. In addition, there are the following assessments/examinations: Minimum Competency testing for grade two (2), and grade four (4), Common Entrance exams for grade six (6), and School Leaving exams for grade eight (8). The Common Entrance Examination is a selection examination for children eleven (11+) to gain access to a secondary school. The school Leaving examination is administered to students fourteen plus (14 +) who desire an opportunity to attend secondary school having being unsuccessful in the Common Entrance, and also to seek opportunity to access technical and vocational educational training  in community colleges.

Grenada (2010, June). Principles and general objectives of education. Assessments. Retrieved February 12, 2011 from http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/WDE/2010/pdf-versions/Grenada.pdf

In assessing children all areas should be looked into. Most assessments are curriculum-bond in content and yield different information about children’s mastery of curricular material intended for use in comparing relative standings in academic achievement among groups of children. Some children might do exceptionally well in their assessments, but lack social emotional skills vice versa.

I would like to quote from Daniel Goleman, “it matters more than IQ.” The EQ concept argues that IQ, or conventional intelligence, is too narrow; that there are wider areas of Emotional Intelligence that dictate and enable how successful we are. Success requires more than IQ (Intelligence Quotient), which has tended to be the traditional measure of intelligence, ignoring essential behavioral and character elements. We've all met people who are academically brilliant and yet are socially and inter-personally inept. And we know that despite possessing a high IQ rating, success does not automatically follow.

Goleman, E. (1995). Emotional Intelligence Theory. Retrieved February 12, 2011 from

http://www.businessballs.com/eq.htm