School and Tests - From a third standard kid's angle!!

In India, our educational system most of the time, just tests the memorizing skills of the student rather than their analytical skills or their reasoning skills. My kids are in classes VI and III in a reputed CBSE school.

The elder one, being more of a normal, smart school going kid, has not much difficulty in getting great scores in his test...But the younger one, is not a typical, book worm. Rather, he is of the experimental sort. He loves to ponder over new stuff, thinks more, does whatever is told to him as a result and only then believes it etc.

This year beginning, his first Science lesson was on Living Things. The class teacher has taken the lesson, given some notes, and also asked the kids to memorize the answer for the question "Differences between Living and Non-living Things".

The next day, when the teacher had asked as to who all did not read at home, he has very promptly raised his hand along with a few others. When questioned by his teacher, he has asked her, "Do you think I have come all the way to Std. III without knowing the answer for this question?". Added to that, he has told, "I do not agree with your statements, like Living things move (Plants do not move), Living things respond (Animals and plants does not respond the same way as humans) etc etc". The teacher was awestruck, and during the next Parent-Teacher meet, she quoted this incident and said, "Your child has an inquisitive mind...but very hyperactive too. Make sure, he gets enough food for his brain".

He doesn't like the monotonous tests that he has to write often. He keeps telling that keeping tests does not reflect how much the child has really understood.

I totally agree with him. Marks are not going to reflect one's IQ. But unfortunately, he has to go through these tests and exams, until he graduates....

Education Department!!! please do something about this. Bring changes!!!

 

Thanks Sudha,

Will pass on your hugs. He is found most of the time with those Knowledge bank books or browsing the net for something or the other.

It makes me relearn all the concepts that I had learned earlier, inspite of the fact that I am myself a Maths Professor....