Are children being examined by teat and assessments too much from a young age?
401934
It depends on which tests/assessments you mean.  If you mean the regular weekly tests given over classwork, then no...teachers need to constantly monitor how well their students are gaining the skills/knowledge to see what needs re-teaching.\n\nIf you mean the state standardized tests and No Child Left Behind demands for performance, HECK YEAH IT'S TOO MUCH!!!\n\nWe spend 3 weeks every March testing, testing, testing, instead of teaching...and now they want to add Kinder, First, and Second graders to the formal state tests.  It is just too much, too high-stress for the kids, and takes too much time away from instruction. As a special education teacher, I can chart regression of skills issues to determine need for summer school over the testing window. My kids fall farther behind doing tests that they are not ready for.\n\nIf we want higher accountability, then have each student maintain a portfolio of work, and make passing grades B's rather than D's (80% mastery of material rather than 60%).
124581
That's a great idea, Psych! I think there should be one for them, one for us and maybe one for everyone because sometimes the kids need to ask questions to adults that their own age group can't answer and we can ask minors questions about teenage views and opinions on certain issues. Hope you're doing well, Sweety.
238976
Well one for sure is there are too many young kids asking questionable questions. IMO
1149961
Talk to a developmental pediatrician about this.  My son has mild CP also, and saw a psychologist at age 2.  There are lots of "tests" they can do, even on a young child that can't verbalize as well as an older child.  \n\nAlso, make the visits fun.  Most doctors have stickers they will let the kids pick from or treasure chests.  Tell the nurses and doctors about his fear and see what they are willing to do to make the visits more cheerful.  I can understand if he's gotten lots of poking and prodding from the docs, then he will be anxious.  Maybe take him for a treat afterward, ice cream, a small toy, etc.  \n\nWhen my son has an especially difficult Physical Therapy session, I let him pick out a new Hot Wheel.  It's something they can look forward to and it may ease his anxiety.  \n\nI definitely wouldn't put a child that young on meds, even if the docs say it's ok.  Those can have long-lasting effects on a child much worse than the untreated anxiety would.  \n\nGood luck!
484657
It's definitely a way to measure kids intelligence... if not the parents. Some jobs required early learning.
270958
Pyrate has the right attitude. The others who spoke about kids under 18 needing to constantly be in the care of a parent are wrong. I know lots of 13 year olds who babysit babies and toddlers.\n\nIn this situation, you are speaking of a 13 year old and a 16 year old....both old enough to stay home alone while you go on a date with your spouse, why would they then not be able to stay at home alone while you go to work? \n\nIt can be done. There will always be those who think anything other than the norm is "illegal." These are not experts, and many experts are wrong anyway.\n\nWhat state are you in? The amount and type of work/hours put into a school day vary from state to state and whether or not testing is required also varies from state to state.\n\nThis can be done legally.\n\nAnd TINATURNER was wrong. Even Public Schools are only in session about 6 hours...why then would homeschools be required to be in session for 8 hours? Stop talking about subjects you know nothing about!
189940
I don't think so.  I also was advised to do this.  I worked with a home teacher every week...its been a long time so i don't remember the exact amount of time that passed.  Trust me, the teachers/doctors are only looking at what is best for your child to learn.  I appreciate what they did for me.  I think I have an easier time learning today because of this.  They tought me what to watch for when I am reading, they taught me how to read in between the lines.  They helped me to better understand math and science, english.  Just about everything.  Believe me there were times when I hated the special attention...but in the long run it did me much more good than I could have imagined.  So No, I don't think that it is discrimination.
832711
There are a lot of tips/ways to evaluate a child's behavior. Just search google and you'll find tons of ideas. Although you might be lucky if you are able to apply and be successful in some of these, mind you, there is no 100% full proof way to diagnose what are we parents doing wrong, what is making the child behave that way and how to correct the problem.\n\nEven if we apply the way we were brought up by our parents, it is no guarantee that our kids will be like us. Good luck!
595467
I applaud all of you, a school is there to teach children not as another way of the nanny state interfering with the way we raise our children, I have a two (soon to be three) year old son and he will be starting reception school in september. I remember a few years ago the government wanted people to stop calling children winners and losers and instead use the term yet to achieve success in a bid to hep childrens self esteem. Has no one considered the effect of weighing classes of kids, possibly in front of other class pupils? and in any event what about the poor kids who have to take these letters home and the effect being told you're fat at such an early age may have on them, don't we have enough of a problem with eating disorders...
561610
There is a newspaper article on the wall in my daughter's nursery that says research has shown that toddlers who spend more than a few hours a day watching programs aimed at toddlers are slower with their reading and writing skills than those who watch no or very little TV.\nAlso i read recently that research has shown that 7-10 year olds that spend a lot of time in front of computer games and television have trouble with things that require a long attention span.
108032
I think you should seek a second opinion.  Sometimes pediatricians are quick to dismiss b/c they see so many of the same things all the time.  It could be something more serious (though I have no idea).  A friend of mine is in the process of getting over an extremely rare disease, and he wasn't properly diagnosed until he was taken to one of the best hospitals in the country.  Sometimes it takes some insistence and a clean pair of eyes to get to the root of the problem.  Best of luck with your kids!
65928
You should ask your child's pediatrician.
1154174
It depends on how you look upon it.\n\nI have worked in an opticians for nearly 8 years and just recently they asked each of us to take an exam. Luckily I passed with 93% but there were people there that failed miserably because the actual pressure of taking the exam put them off. They knew the answers and yet when a question was written on paper, they just went blank!\nsometimes exams can test not just the academic ability of a person, but it also tests their ability to cope well under stressful conditions.\n\nMy children are 8 and 9 and they have exams at school to make sure they are being taught at the correct level for their age. I think it puts a lot of pressure on the children however they take it in their stride and it is made fun for them. It will also get them used to taking tests in their 'big' school, where the results can mould the rest of their lives.\n\nI wouldn't say it is the best way to judge a persons capability. The only way I would say you can judge someone like that is to work with them and see what they are capable of doing every day!
1107124
It is often very, very hard to tell, the signs vary greatly and they can be very, very subtle and are regularly missed. Bit like asking ‘how can I tell if I am sick’. Well meaning people with give you a loooong list that you can read through and by the time you get to the end you are convinced you have 27 different diseases, including plague.\n\nMy eldest child is gifted (above 99.5% of population at age). It was not detected by us (her parents) or by her school (despite a lengthy list of signs and training all teachers are given to detect the gifted). Fortunately she entered a regional OC (Opportunity Class) for talented and gifted students in year 5/6 on the strength of a test she did, so things worked out OK for her.\n\nInterestingly enough between 20-25% of the students in her OC class originally came from a variety of schools who were glad to see the back of them, because they could not deal with them, thinking they had behavioral problems (not super high IQ), even going as far as suggesting to a parent their child had ADHD in a formal high level meeting.\n\nIf your child is an extrovert personality and is around age 7-8 I would get them IQ tested, however if they are an introvert it makes properly plumbing the depths of them a good deal harder unless the examiner can gain deep rapport with the child.\n\nAnyway our youngest child now seems to be showing some 'odd' signs of giftedness, but they are totally different signs than our first child. Detecting true giftedness, not just simple academic ability, is so VERY hard to pin down.
466452
Assuming you are not doing research and you are trying to identify a specific skill. You don't need to worry too much. You should use your clinical judgment.  If you are trying to decide if the child is in need of services then you have many tools you can use to help make this decision.  If you are trying to get a baseline then adding counting will deflate your sample, not inflate it.  It may be more important for you to decide if the counting was appropriate?
53267
Hey, the kid is from my own 'material', why not? I take it a step further even...if we are somewhere and the kids got a runny nose, if nothing else is available, they'll have to use my shirt! It's on the inside, so noone has to look at it, and I usually wear long shirts, so it doesn't have to touch me...but that's when they are little, when they get older that's just gross!
1063864
I agree with you 100%.  I am an Early Childhood Educator with no children as of yet and most of my family, friends and neighbours come to me for advice about their children.  Life experience is sometimes good enough to learn what you need to know.  Not to say that real hands on experience doesn't help but it doesn't mean you don't know anything either.