Assessing Children

As teachers we know that it is important to assess our students.  We need to know what they entered the grade knowing and we need to know if progress is being made.  The problem therein lies with are we testing too much or too little?  Are we testing the right way? Should testing be individualized? I know through personal experience that students could understand a concept and the minute they hear the word exam, or assessment, they freeze and cannot function.  I remember I had a student who was so stressed out about city exams (he was already struggling) that he developed Alopecia (losing his hair). We need to assess our students but I think we rely too much on standardized exams.  I remember students who were at the top of the class and would do mediocre and kids who couldn't even read were passing exams because they guessed correctly.  I think we need to take everything with a grain of salt.  There needs to be a balance of state assessment, classroom assessment, and critical teacher evaluation of progress.


In Afghanistan, the Afghan war has destroyed the educational infrastructure, demolished school buildings, and has killed teachers.  There is a huge disparity between boys who go to schools and the number of girls.  Because of the Taliban, girls were not allowed to receive an education and currently the number of girls attending schools is lower than the number of boys who attend school.  Because of war, no records were available to assess students.  
http://www.unesco.org/education/wef/countryreports/afghanistan/rapport_1.html