There is so much pressure placed on students in order to prepare for state testing. In my opinion, standardized test do not assess what student(s) has learned during a school year. Some students are not good test takers. There are several ways educators can assess a students knowledge other than a written test. During my years of teaching, I gave several projects and had my students give verbal presentations; this helped me assess what I taught.
Children in China appear to be well educated. They are very savy in their intellects. It is said that children in China lack pratical skills. The education system in China teaches by memorization, so these students are taught to memorize and little to no attention is placed on applying what is being taught. China's main goal is to prepare students to pass standardized testing not so much to apply the knowledge. "Chinese students excel in memorizing great amounts of information, but when the time arises for them to demonstrate something else, something that goes a little bit outside they are use to, they encounter serious difficulties, such as a lack of discipline, imagination, curiosity and lack of learning by their own. For this reason, they fail to prepare them for higher education and the knowledge economy" (http://www.africanaonline.com/). I dont like this idea, whats the use of teaching children if they cant apply the information. In my opinion, thats setting a child up for failure.
/http://www.africanaonline.com/2011/02/china-students-show-high-test-scores-but-low-practical-ability/
