There is more to Education and School than Testing

"I believe that education should be an empowering process that allows and guides children to develop their passions, critical thinking, compassion, and orientation towards wisdom for timely action. " by Adam Burk 

I am reminded of another quote I believe from Curriculum 21 which said " School should not be about preparing students for a life of tests but rather preparing them for the test of life" 

I was reminded of these quotes after speaiking with  a friend who attended a 2 day back ot school professional development workshop were for many the focus was on standardized testing. She spoke up and rightfully so and mentioned that there is so much more we need to and should be doing to educate these  children and the focus should not be on the testing. 

As fate would have it I came across the following article on Zite  by  Dr Judy Willis "Preparing Your Students for the Challenges of Tomorrow" ( http://www.edutopia.org/blog/prepare-students-challenges-of-tomorrow-judy-willis)

Here are some of her thoughts:

   " Right now, you have students. Eventually, those students will become the citizens -- employers, employees, professionals, educators, and caretakers of our planet in 21st century. Beyond mastery of standards, what can you do to help prepare them? What can you promote to be sure they are equipped with the skill sets they will need to take on challenges and opportunities that we can't yet even imagine?

Following are six tips to guide you in preparing your students for what they're likely to face in the years and decades to come.

1. Teach Collaboration as a Value and Skill Set

Students of today need new skills for the coming century that will make them ready to collaborate with others on a global level. Whatever they do, we can expect their work to include finding creative solutions to emerging challenges.

2. Evaluate Information Accuracy

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3. Teach Tolerance

4. Help Students Learn Through Their Strengths

Children are born with brains that want to learn. They're also born with different strengths -- and they grow best through those strengths. One size does not fit all in assessment and instruction. 

5. Use Learning Beyond the Classroom

6. Teach Students to Use Their Brain Owner's Manual"

I would add the following 

7. Take risks and learn from your mistakes

8 Be flexible and willing to change and grow 

9 Learning can happen anytime and from anyone 

10 Life is a journey and is a marathon and not a sprint so you need to prepare accordingly

So now we have a top 10 list

I would challenge anyone who has created such a list to find standardized testing on such a list. 

We need to understand that we have a tremendous challnege and responsibility and with it a tremendous reward  that we are educating the  citizens and leaders of tomorrow