Putting testing to the test

As an early childhood professional, my first commitment is to the overall well-being of children.  Most interconnected disciplines of early childhood studies, i.e. education, psychology, medicine, sociology, safety, nutrition, physical education, occupational therapists often utilize assessment and testing in order to determine and support appropriate practices.  Much of our current society asks the field of early childhood education to regularly test and assess our youth--not necessarily in the best interest of the children--to determine funding, program structure, supply/demand structures, and maintenance of educational establishments.  What amount of measurement and testing is effective and ethical?

I am a supporter of early intervention programs and routine medical screenings for our young children.  I also feel that there should be a greater openness in receiving families' questions and concerns about their children and their immediate environments.  We should offer opportunities for families to request particular assessments and tests if there is a substantial reasoning behind it.  Significant adults (family members, caregivers, teachers, and group leaders) in children's lives are the first line of defense when it comes to their well-being, instead of the the fifteen minute yearly visit to the pediatrician who sees thousands of children in that time, or the lawmakers and financial backers within the early childhood construct.

There can be great benefit to the child who's psychological or cognitive processing disorder is diagnosed so that they may receive the support they need to be successful.  It is helpful for physical conditions to be recognized and accepted so that children can participate healthfully and appropriately with their world to the best of their ability.  Children who are considered gifted or talented in a particular area will thrive when provided appropriate programming from well trained educators.or professionals.  I believe, however, that there comes a point where the testing and labeling can become detrimental to overall development.

As symptoms, medications, societal definitions, and basic requirements of successful life change, so do labels.  It can often be hard to determine a benchmark or a "normal" range for behaviors, physical symptoms, or performance in a particular area due to the differences in all humans.  Not only must you consider the person in question, but also the test construction and evaluation process.  Uncooperative, nervous, or stressed children may not provide accurate results.  There are vast differences in short-range vs. long-term data.  Medicines are often changed so frequently, that true data collection is a challenge.  Who determines these labels, and to what benefit? Even positive labeling can have negative effects on the particular child or their family members.  "Gifted" children are often held to exceptionally high standards overall, not just in the area where they excel, which can lead to self-doubt in other important areas of their development.  The "other" children in a family may feel the pressure to keep up rather than be appreciated for the person that they are.  A child with a condition that needs a greater level of attention, may attribute to other children feeling alienated.  Not to mention, that vast amounts of testing may cause children to feel like they are constantly being expected to "perform" instead of being allowed to life freely.

Testing of children is performed across the globe, and the same concerns appear in most nations.  This then leads to nations having skewed view of themselves and others.  As we well know, different does not mean wrong, it just means different.  In a nation where verbal skills are highly regarded, they may lag in mathematical scores.  In areas where social well-being and group success is valued and strongly developed, all test scores may appear below-average, even if they far surpass many other areas of the world in cooperative tasks.  As parents and leaders assess world politics, there may be a shift in childhood expectations based on statistics instead of developmental well-being and cultural variations.  

Overall, I think that the most important to remember about labels is that they do not define a person.  They should be used to afford all people with the opportunity to thrive and succeed to the best of their ability, by having the means and measures to access necessary tools.  If we can redefine society and reconstruct the labeling system to value individuality, we can move toward a more positive and accepting world.  

Resources

Benson, E. (2003). Intelligent Intelligence testing. American Psychological Association, 34(2). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/feb03/intelligent.aspx

War Worries

Early childhood is already a time period in life full of change and a flooding of information.  It is a time when children are first learning how to navigate their world and interact with their fellow humans.  When additional stressors come into play, they can play a substantial role in how a child develops.

My neighbors are immigrants to the United States from Albania.  They were in their early twenties, with a two year old, when the Albanian Civil War broke out.  During this time they were often forced to stay in their homes for days at a time while the ugliness of war riddled their town.  There was extensive rioting, protesting, and general civil unrest, due to deep dissatisfaction with a government that failed to protect the assets of its citizens.  Residents felt compelled to protect their homes, money, and family at any cost. This meant being subjected to random gunfire, smoke bombs, tear gas, and other means and measures used to control large mobs, and/or settle civil disputes (legal or illegal) (Global Security.org). Throughout this, the family also learned that they were due to welcome their second child.

The family unit was strong, but travel to visit other friends and relatives was hazardous.  As such, the family was forced to be self-sustaining with very little money.  They realized that this was not the life they wished for their children, and chose to join friends here in the US, who had come to live here before the war.  In 2004, they became our neighbors.

We have watched the children grow up, very happily and hard-working, but their life is much different than typical American children.  First off, they had to learn a new language and start in American schools at ages 10 & 6.  While in Albania, the eldest child saw little of school and the youngest had never been, because of their condition and also because typically in Europe, children start school closer to age 7.  Thankfully, it didn't take them too long to adjust. The children were active soccer players and the family found support in their church and Albanian groups here. The family unit continues to remain strong, and in effect, the children are bound to familial duties before they are permitted to socialize with their friends or engage in other social activities.  The boys, despite a decent age difference, were often best playmates.  For the most part, the children seemed to suffer little, however, there is one time of the year which is particularly difficult for them.

During Fourth of July celebrations here, the random shooting off of fireworks, summer firework displays, and the frequent explosion of sound, all meant in fun and support of the holiday, set the entire family on edge.  These sounds remind them of difficult times, which they were fortunate to leave behind.  We have spoken to them about it and the mother often feels guilty for her feelings.  She is so thankful for America and all that is has to offer, but the fear of her past overwhelms her.  The family is often found together, at home, inside while the rest of us revel in our freedoms.

Thinking about them, coming from the far Southeast portion of Europe, made me wonder about conditions for the children living in the furthest stretches of Northeast Europe, where my heritage lies.  I imagined that the conditions were similar, and that they share several influences from both Europe and the Western portion of Asia, namely Soviet entities. It seems that the overall economic conditions have improved for these nations since the unrest during the 1990's and early 2000's.  Since the dissolution of the Soviet rule, these nations have been growing and improving rapidly.  As the economic factors have improved, improvements have been made to the educational, cultural, and social conditions.  Pollution has been reduced.  Park systems and public programs are on the rise; and this generation of families is indicating greater levels of happiness and prosperity.  Generally speaking, when the daily stressors of employment and finances are lessened from the equation, the result is happier, healthier children. Unfortunately, like most nations, there are areas where families are still affected by poverty and inadequate living conditions.  The governments have instituted public assistance, but due to the pride and self-sustainability of the people they have been slow to take.

References

European Roma Rights Centre. (2011-2012). Slovakia:  A Report by the European Roma Rights Centre, Country Profile 2001-2012.  Retrieved from http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/slovakia-country-profile-2011-2012.pdf

Global Security.org (n.d.). Albanian Civil War (1997). Retrieved from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/albania.htm

National Geographic Kids (n.d.). People & Places: Poland. Retrieved from http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/find/poland