The traditional schooling system emphasises marks and academic achievements, and although performance can’t be assessed or measured without a yardstick, focusing solely on test results often makes parents, educators, and children stress about gaps as they try to ensure kids don’t fall behind. When children compare their marks to those of their peers, they start worrying about what others think of their exam marks, and that it is a reflection of who they are, they learn to avoid the fear of low marks and making mistakes.
Children then start looking for low-hanging fruits and shortcuts as they learn to get good marks. An excellent example of this is obtaining past exam papers and focusing on studying the answers instead of broadening understanding.
At Liberté School, we acknowledge that learning to get good marks differs from learning to understand and that the latter is needed to excel. We also appreciate that excelling looks different and means different things depending on the individual.
By focusing on understanding and curiosity, kids learn to think for themselves and to find solutions. They learn that understanding leads to knowledge, and applying and sharing their knowledge to set and achieve personal goals is far more rewarding and meaningful than memorising the correct answer or a set of facts.
Why then set exams and tests at all?
Do not get us wrong; we also understand that measuring performance via tests and assessments is vital in maintaining and improving academic standards. It is all about how we use the results. Do we use them as a tool for the educator to help identify gaps in understanding, strengths and weaknesses? Do we see results as data to help us understand the child and adapt how we teach? Or do we use them to measure ourselves against others?
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