I really don't approve of SATs, particularly for children as young as seven. So it's really rather hypocritical of me to be as pleased as punch at Freja's results, isn't it? Still, what can I do? I'm a parent, I can't be expected to be rational.
Freja was top of her year by a long way. She has a reading age of ten, and a similar level of attainment in maths. :-)
Irrational I may be, but I'm not going to get carried away. Freja is good at reading and maths mainly because she likes reading and maths. We have not pushed and will not push her or her sister along. I don't want Freja or Ella to stop having fun - and I don't want them to feel that their SATs scores affect how we feel about them.
Posted to Parenting by Simon Brunning at June 28, 2004 01:27 PMTell Freya wee done from me and to carry on having fun.
Posted by: Steve on June 28, 2004 01:31 PMI don’t think it’s hypocrisy on your part. The worry is for those parents who support all these tests in the mistaken belief that their kids are special and that testing will lift them about the rest. Think how gutted they must feel when their progeny turn out to be average.
Posted by: Stephen Newton on June 28, 2004 03:58 PMOf course, she gets her brains from her father :)
We have something similar in Australia. I don't approve of some of the uses the test results are put to, but that doesn't stop me praising my children when it's due.
It's a natural joy for both children and parents when parents express their pride in their child's successes. Sure, there are traps such as jealous siblings, creating academic snobbery or teaching children that love only follows success - but all life is like that.
Posted by: Alan Green on June 29, 2004 12:40 AMLucky she didn't get her *looks* from her father...
It is certainly great to praise your children, Alan. And as you know, the best thing about it is that there's *always* *something* to praise them for. ;-)
Posted by: Simon Brunning on June 29, 2004 12:14 PMooh. I've got this all to come in the next five years or so. For now I'm enjoy the imaginative outlook of a two years old, where everything is a wonder and a joy to see.
I'm also amazed at how many different meanings the word 'no' can have too :))
Posted by: Kevan Thurstans on June 30, 2004 08:48 AMTesting, eh? God, I wish we had less because of the paperwork but they do seem to provide a useful guideline for pupil progress in most cases, so they can be used positively to give the kids an idea of whether they are where they should be or not. I hated the idea at the start but now I have seen the results, I am convinced that they have a value, though it is important that we don't forget that not everything can or should be measured like that.
Posted by: BF on June 30, 2004 11:05 AM*Diagnistic* testing is valuable, yes, but at seven, the results should be for the teacher's guidance (and eyes) only.
Posted by: Simon Brunning on July 1, 2004 09:08 AMTesting, eh? God, I wish we had less because of the paperwork but they
do seem to provide a useful guideline for pupil progress in most
cases, so they can be used positively to give the kids an idea of
whether they are where they should be or not. I hated the idea at the
start but now I have seen the results, I am convinced that they have a
value, though it is important that we don't forget that not everything
can or should be measured like that.