Childhood Testing

I believe that children need to be tested; but the test should not be the most important thing in the child's education, meaning some school literally “teach for the test.” Children need comprehensive learning; they need a blanket assessment; but I don't feel that money needs to be tied to it. Some schools spend the whole school year teaching the items that will be on the standardized test, so the school will perform well, get good marks, and thus get better funding. Children need to know how to take a test, but they also need to know how to make change. They DO NOT need to have politics shoved down their throats. They need to understand how the real world works, without all of their morals and ethics, engrained since birth being degraded, dehumanized, and told how wrong it is.

I fully believe that aptitude test, IQ tests, and such, accomplish what the teacher needs to be able to teach the whole student. However, that teacher is so bogged down with redundant paperwork and extra work that she does not have time to serve each child's learning style. Let's face it, teachers take so much work home with them now, they have very little time with their own children.

In Russia, education for preschool through tenth grade is mandatory and is free. All other schools available, such as vocational and professional schools are partially fee based. Russia has instituted Standardized Testing called EGE (similar to SAT) for all children. Those children with the highest scores are the ones that get to go to university free. Others may apply, and is fee-based at approximately $2000-$8000 per year and $1500-$5000 for additional cost like books, board, and other fees.

School exclude children with disabilities, mental and behavior problems, deviant behavior, migrant workers, and refugees. Legislation puts all of these children into boarding schools when they can find them. About 100,000 children are in institutions and do not have education appropriate for their age. 4.5% of all Russian children have disabilities and most attend no regular educational institutions.

Children's Rights: Russian Federation. (2014). Child Rights. Retrieved February 15, 2014 from http://www.loc.gov/law/help/child-rights/russia.php

Natural Disasters

I chose natural disasters to talk about. I went through Hurricane Katrina in 2005. I was in Hattiesburg, MS.  As scary as it was, we did not have the storm surge, flooding, and devastation that was in Louisiana and on the gulf coast of Mississippi. However, here are some facts about Katrina. Over 1,836 people died, 750 missing, and millions homeless. There was looting, violence, no water or food for many days and no electricity for weeks. Help arrived after a time. FEMA trailers arrived – poor as they were.

In November 2013, a typhoon hit the Philippines. 6,166 people were killed and 28,626 were injured. 1785 are still missing and 4 million people were forced from their homes. They have no electricity, no running water or clean water for that matter, and no shelter. There is scant corrupt government housing. Only 9% of the 16 million affected have received any help to rebuild their homes.

There is absolutely no way that a child going through such devastation of the environment and family can not be affected. Such stress will affect the brain development, and improper nutritional intake will affect the body and brain. Children are resilient and their little brains and bodies will bounce back. But what of their emotions? I often wondered how those children are faring 8 years later. Are they back in their home city; did they stay away when they evacuated; was the family able to rebuild or recoup their losses from the storm; and did they get to a place where they are able to feel safe again? In the Philippines, how long will it take for their children to feel safe? to get into a home that has a roof instead of an umbrella and palm leaves? when will they get clean water to drink?

Time heals all wounds and people tend to forget about what is happening in the world once the media has left the area. But the people living the life will never forget. And it will take many years to recover and rebuild the cities. How long does it take the children to bounce back after such a horrible life event they will never forget. How long does it take for the body and brain to catch up once it takes a break and just concentrates on survival?

Harlan, C. (2014). After Typhoon, Philippines faces one of the most profound resettlement crises in decades. Retrieved February 1, 2014 from

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/after-typhoon-philippines-faces-one-of-the-most-profound-resettlement-crises-in-decades/2014/01/04/2118c6a2-71f2-11e3-bc6b-712d770c3715_story.html

Solanki, P. (2013). Hurricane Katrina: Facts and Information. Retrieved February 1, 2014 from

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/hurricane-katrina-facts-and-information.html

UPI. (2014). Typhoon Death Toll Reaches 6,166 in Philippines. Retrieved February 1, 2014 from

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2014/01/03/Typhoon-death-toll-reaches-6166-in-Philippines/UPI-86661388773610/