This is my third entry from the teaching series from a teacher's angle. And In this episode, I'll focus on the way students are evaluated.
Sometimes we think that good grades means that any students is qualified to go up to another level. But they cannot precisely show if an student can perform well in real scenarios.
Strict assessment is a major pillar. I'm not against it. But we need to be more flexible because there are more important elements, which I'll discuss in a moment, that must be above the constant testing.
But before delve into it, we need to look at some consequences that are evident in the student's life:
- Anxiety
- Frustration
These are common effects. And since we have the first school experience, we are pushed to excel through good grades. It's a planted idea that comes not only from school but also at home from our parents.
This causes pressure. And learning shouldn't be a stressing process. Constant testing and assessments are carried out because that's how educational systems work. And that's the main reason why students see learning as an obligation.
But there are ways to eliminate the pressure. In the kinder garden level we can see children are stimulating their creativity and abstract thinking. And they don't even know it. They are so immersed in certain tasks, just enjoying the moment.
I know that in other higher levels it's another story. But this also can done.
A Simple Way Of Assessment
The main goal is to eliminate the pressure point. When I was at the University. A teacher used a simple approach. That was "Take home test." Very few professionals used this method.
Naturally, this teacher was eternally criticized by his colleagues. Claims like: "Your students are going to cheat" and "How can you trust in them."
To which he answered:
"Those who think that they're cheating on, they're cheating on themselves"
A simple response that holds a fundamental truth. Sometimes when we interact with people through our jobs or a service we need from someone, problems arise because the other part doesn't perform as we expected. And the interaction obviously becomes unproductive.
We tend to react defenselessly, which may be justified. But we forget to analyze and think about the origin that produces the confrontation. I strongly believe that most of the troubles and inefficiency in the society can be traced back to the days of basic learning.
"Take home test" can be applied in all levels of the education: school, college and university. Naturally, it is a risk, but it is a worth one. We can have more students with a strong sense of commitment.
The Advantages
When you eliminate the pressure point and the anxiety, students can embrace education with good will. And you are just accomplishing a wonderful deed: Create the perfect environment where the students immerse themselves into by own initiative and not by pressure.
You are letting the students to manage responsibility. They are faced with dilemmas: "Should I cheat? or Should I retribute my teacher's trust with the same gesture." These kind of queries build character. Students discover their own values and morals. And they are encouraged to take liability about the choices the make.
A Different Way
There are some institutions that don't use numerical or other types of assessments. They just observe and monitor. They understand that any qualified teacher in any field can know when a student has assimilated information and is ready move forward.
Essentially, this is how education is to be handled in a perfect world. Productivity increases fast and education is no longer seen as a martyrdom.
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