Posted on: Thursday, March 24, 2005
Assessment stressful for some
| • | Chart (opens in a new window): What they say, what it means |
By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Education Writer
As public schools across the state administer the Hawai'i State Assessment, students under pressure to perform well could get discouraged if they feel they are unable to do so.
Although the tests have no effect on an individual student's grade, the scores are critical for the schools. If too many students perform below "proficiency" on the tests, schools may face sanctions under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
With schools focusing on boosting scores and media coverage zeroing in on schools that are struggling, students can't help but pick up on the stress.
The expectations may be unnerving for all students, but for those who still are having trouble with reading, the problem could be intensified.
Parents might want to be extra vigilant and help their children put the tests into perspective and try to keep them from getting too discouraged.
Lou Salza, headmaster of Assets School for gifted and dyslexic children, joked that parents can remind their children of Mark Twain's words: "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education."
Better yet, parents can emphasize to their children that measuring their scores against other students' is not the best way to see how well they are doing in school. It would be better to look at how they have improved over the course of the year.
"We assume the child is successful," Salza said. "We assume the kid is growing.
"When you talk about how to keep a kid encouraged in school, you have to show them that you appreciate and applaud what they are able to accomplish."
Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8014.
