Radio Commentary
Tests are an important part of a child’s education. Still, it is important to keep in mind what tests can and cannot show.
A test can indicate what a student knows about a given subject. It can also show the types of reasoning a student finds difficult or easy to do.
A test can also reveal what a student still needs to learn. It can point out weaknesses and challenges, and show where further instruction could make a difference.
What a test cannot show is how hard a student has tried. It can’t show the amount of studying that took place or the effort that was put into trying to learn the material.
For some students, it takes little effort to do well on tests. They instinctively know what kinds of answers are being sought by the nature of the questions.
Others study very hard but find it more difficult to show what they know, so they may not score as well.
Parents need to make sure children know that whatever they score on a test, they are stilled loved. It may seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget and very important to children who are trying hard to do their best.
All children want to do well on tests. But realistically, they simply won’t be able to do so 100 percent of the time.
Make sure your children know you support their efforts, not just the numbers they are able to attain.
