Assessing Children in Schools

At first, it would seem logical to assess “the whole child”. But, wait! What exactly does “whole child” mean”? Does it imply that the body protecting our vital organs and our brain should be assessed? Or, does it mean that only the head containing the brain should be assessed? And then, should the left brain be assessed first and then the right brain, or should they be assessed at the same time? So many questions for one obvious answer: Yes! The whole child should be assessed because what really matters is to know that children are on track regarding their own development. Since educators cannot promote maturity, they only can teach and recycle the information taught so that everyone eventually internalizes it. In that light, assessing students through keeping a running record of their achievements seems logical.

Secondly if schools continue to merely test students on their intelligent quotient (IQ), they would benefit from adding social-emotional learning (SEL) classes to their curriculum. Studies indicate that students who had high emotional quotient (EQ) were more likely to be successful in school than those with lower scores (Goleman, 1995). Students who are emotionally mature are more able to design bright and happier futures. SEL classes coach students how to evaluate and manage their emotions, strengths, and limitations in achieving their goals; to make positive choices and relationships; to work in teams and resolve conflict (CASEL). In the US, both affluent and inner city schools have been at the forefront of developing and implementing SEL programs. Also, John Pelliteri demonstrates in his article, "Emotionally Intelligent Interventions for Students with Reading Disabilities", that emotional intelligence helps regulate emotions by being able to interpret them, facilitating the thinking process and the acquisition of academic knowledge. Pelliteri explains that students with reading disabilities are more susceptible to being affected by adverse emotions, such as low self-esteem leading to bullying or aggressive behaviors. Pelliteri affirms that SEL classes have greatly helped his students gain confidence, and succeed both in their academic and personal lives. According to the National Bureau of Education (IBE), an autonomous part of UNESCO:

“Academic and social-emotional learning is becoming the new standard for what is considered the basics that children should acquire during their schooling. Each student deserves the opportunity to have his potential developed.The combination of academic and social-emotional is the most promising way to accomplish this goal. In so doing, educators are also preparing students for the tests of life, for the responsibilities of citizenship, and for adopting a lifestyle that is literate, responsible, non-violent, drug-free, and caring” (Elias).

While searching information on how the Netherlands assess their students, I came upon a UNICEF document where child’s well-being in the wealthy countries of the OECD, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. On page 4, the document indicates “no obvious relationship between levels of child well-being and GDP per capita”, and places the Netherlands in first place for child well-being. Surprisingly, the Netherlands also uses standardized tests to assess their students but formal school starts at 6 when children seem to be most ready for sitting and learning in a school environment. In disadvantaged areas, schools receive subsidies to create smaller classes and support their students with the use of technology. There is a huge effort to create inclusive schools and to broaden the cooperation of schools and their environment “connecting schools with real life” (Snoek M. and Douwe Wielenga D., 2001). According to Snoek and Douwe “The curriculum of teacher education should foster initiative, creativity, pride and responsibility by the learner, must be practice based, product driven and demand driven, must be holistic and competence driven, and should accommodate assessment methods accordingly.”



References
Goleman D.Emotional Intelligence.The 10th Anniversary.New York:Bantam Dell,1995.Print.
CASEL:Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning. Social and Emotional Learning for School and Life Success.Retrieved from:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:IAnLHyO1tH4J:casel.org/wp-content/uploads/ParentPowerPoint.ppt+CASEL+power+point+social+emotional+learning&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
Pelliteri J. et al."Emotionaly Intelligent Interventions for Students with Reading Disabilities." Reading & Writing Quarterly 22.2(2006):155-71.Web.Apr.2006.
Elias M.J. "Academic and social-emotional learning." Education Practices Series 11 (2003).Web.2011.
UNICEF. A comprehensive assessment of the lives and well-being of children and adolescents in the economically advanced nations.Innocenti Research Centre.Report Card 7.Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/media/files/ChildPovertyReport.pdf
Snoek M. and Wielenga D. Teacher Education in The Netherlands.Change of gear.June 2001.Retrieved from: http://www.seeeducoop.net/education_in/pdf/workshop/tesee/dokumenti/COUNTRIES_NEDERLANDS.pdf