Do High Stakes Kill Curiosity?
I haven't always wanted to be a teacher. When I was five I was sure I would be the newest member of the spice girls, then when I was ten I decided to be a marine biologist. It wasn't until I started working at a summer camp when I was in grade nine that I found a passion for teaching. Primary aged kids are so full of excitement and curiosity. So what happens between that age and highschool that takes students down from loving to learn new things to memorizing and regurgitating facts?
One major component of assessment in the current education system is assessment of learning. These assessments are done using methods such as high stake tests and exams(Drake, 2014). What does it mean to have a high stake test? This term is associated with any test that has significant consequences tied to it (eduglossary.org). In the students case the consequence would be the ability to advance. A good example of this is when classes have an exam that is worth 30 or 40% of the students overall grade. The reason for testing like this is to hold students, teachers and schools accountable for their successes and shortcomings(Nichols, 2007).
The downside to this kind of testing is that it places an emphasis on memorizing facts instead of comprehensive learning. When you are only focused on getting a good grade on a test it doesn't allow for the student to focus on areas of interest within the learning. Project or inquiry based learning is a good way to do this but it doesn't allow for as much preparation for standardized tests.
So how does this relate to the loss of childhood curiosity?
As I mentioned I work at a summer camp. This camp caters to children aged 3-12. Almost every day we make a craft. With the preschool aged children I can say that we are making a butterfly and they will go off and find materials and make a butterfly, or a spider or a superhero, whatever comes to their mind. If the 10-12 year olds are given the same instructions they will be completely lost without further instructions and an example. They cannot go off on their own and make the craft using just their imaginations. What is the difference?
A TED Talk by Ken Robinson explains this very well. When children are young they do not have failure in mind when they try things for the first time. They takes chances and are not afraid to make mistakes. But as Picasso said, "we are educated out of curiosity." The education system teaches students that mistakes are fatal. It is not okay to try and "fail" at something, instead students need to be right. So because of this, it teaches students that if they are not going to be right they might as well not even try it at all. This is what kills the curiosity of our youth. Fear. Fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, fear that it might affect their future advancements. Students that are not strong in a subject will never feel that they can take a class in it because if they don't do well it will affect their GPA.
This is an issue that I strongly feel needs to be resolved. With all the emphasis on grades it takes away the emphasis on creativity and multi-disciplinary thinking. It creates an environment where students can't try things that interest them in. This dissuades people from learning about things like science and the arts. There are many movements now, especially around girls and STEM careers. The real motivation behind these movements is the need to bring back the curiosity in the classroom. If kids feel comfortable enough to ask questions and try new things it will mean for a brighter future for everyone. Robinson finishes his talk with a quote that I will also end with, "The gift of the human imagination. We have to be careful now that we use this gift wisely and that we avert some of the scenarios that we've talked about. And the only way we'll do it is by seeing our creative capacities for the richness they are and seeing our children for the hope that they are. And our task is to educate their whole being, so they can face this future. By the way -- we may not see this future, but they will. And our job is to help them make something of it."
References
Drake, S. M., Reid, J. L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment: Engaging the 21st century learner
High Stakes Testing. The Glossary of Education Reform. http://edglossary.org/high-stakes-testing/
Nichols, S., & Berliner, D. (2007). Collateral damage: How high stakes testing corrupts America's schools. Teachers College Record
