This week we
were asked to find out how school-aged children are testing in other parts of
the world. I had an opportunity to read a New York Times article about an
American family who lived in Beijing. While in Beijing the children attended
The International School of Beijing. While they were there testing of children
took place as early as age 5. The author shared that her son was required to
learn how to read by the age of five so that he could enter the first grade.
She said that flashcards were frequently given so that children could study.
I found this
article interesting because it shows the cultural differences between the east
and the west. The author shared that the American parents felt that the
practice of testing at such an early age. The western parents wanted less
homework given and the Asian parents expected more homework and more testing
for their children.
I do think
that we should perform informal testing for young children so that we can get a
picture of how we should plan for instruction. I just wonder if developmentally
children are prepared for stringent testing that the article described at such
an early age.
