I've never really thought much about kids' exams. What do kids get tested on anyway, especially kindergarten kids? I just feel it's so wrong for kids this young to be tested. They probably don't even know the concept of exams or have the stamina to sit through the exam papers (how many 4-5 year olds can concentrate for 1.5 hours on a single paper?!!!). I know in H's school calendar, it has been clearly marked out that 12-14 March are exam days for Reception kids. Yeah yeah exams, no big deal, until I saw in the Parents' Handbook last night that I realise this school takes the whole exam business really seriously.
3 days of exams, 4 subjects will be tested (BM + Ejaan, English + Spelling, Math and Science). There's even a list of topics / areas in which they will be tested on for each subject, and the list is long (I kid you not)!
Should I revise with H to prepare him for the exam, or should I just let him be? I really don't think kindergarteners should be given exams. The teachers should be able to assess how much they've learnt by observing their class work, no? Research shows that formal academic testing in young kids is inconclusive anyway since most kids this age can't even read instructions, nor have the attention span. I know H probably doesn't, given how he likes to dilly dally when doing his homework, but it doesn't mean that he does not know his work. So to me, exams are counter-productive and introduce unnecessary stress on kids. I dread having to tell H that he will be having exams and that he has to finish the exam papers and finish them fast. I can just foresee him asking me tonnes of questions like What is exam? Why must have exam? Why must finish? Why must do fast? Why this why that...
As far as I remember, I've never studied for exams throughout my primary school years, nor do I remember my mom ever revising with us. So I think I shall just let H be. He'll just need to learn from this coming exams - if he does well hopefully it'll motivate him; if he does badly hopefully he'll learn to buck up. What I wish to instil in my little big boy is for him to be an independent learner. That way mommy can relax knowing that he can take full responsibility for his own learning. *A long way to go I know, but I should really start by teaching him to take responsibility for his own homework*
No comments:
Post a Comment