High stakes Assessment

Analytical Assessment of High Stakes Examination on Students and Teachers in Japanese Schools

     Japan praises itself as one of the top academic countries in the world. Across the entire country standardized testing is a norm and a must in order to assure placement in the desired academic institution or workplace. A 'no fail' policy in primary school exists that ensures students go up to the next grade as a group. Nonetheless, Japan's educational policies have changed since the Edo period or Tokugawa era which was from 1603-1868 with Japan reinventing it after every political crisis.

     The onset of WWII and the Manchurian incident of 1931 brought about the war time education act, which was meant to train small citizens loyalty to a country. After being defeated in 1945, the Governing Policy on Education System in Japan was issued in October of that year, prohibiting the dissemination of militarism and radical nationalism. (http://www.nier.go.jp/English/educationjapan/pdf/201109BE.pdf) The fundamental principles of education and the school system structure was reformed seven times in order to reflect the trends of the times. Today, the Japanese government has the Article 1 education act stating:
Education must be provided with the aim of fully developing the individual character, as we endeavor to cultivate a people that is sound in mind and body and imbued with the qualities that are necessary in the people who make up a peaceful and democratic nation and society. (http://www.nier.go.jp/English/educationjapan/pdf/201109BE.pdf)

     The recent Article 1 Act aims to open the way to Japan's future and cultivate creativity and foster academic freedoms. AMICUS, my school, has implemented this Article 1 code, with the MEXT curriculum (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology). For one, we get funding from the Prefectural government if we adhere to the MEXT system, and second, it makes our school competitive and recognized across the country. Japanese schools in general are focused on creative development. For everything other than English development, Japanese schools are doing a great job. That is, until the age of 12, when students start standardized-testing, wiping out all signs of critical thinking, individuality and creativity. 

     When it comes to High Stakes Testing, the middle of January in Japan is known as 'examination hell'. Mothers go to Shinto Shrines to pray for their children's scores. Youth carry sacred dolls to give them luck on the exam. The National Center Test for University Admission is a culmination of all the intense years of study as early as kindergarten. (Timsit, 2018). There is only a handful of coveted universities in Japan. Many of the students who do not pass the High Stakes test would rather take a year off to study at a cram school and try again next year, than go to a lower tiered university. University status is so important in Japan because of the companies that hire only from these elite schools.

     The impact of high stakes testing results in students developing depression, stress and feeling marginalized due to a competitive and punitive educational environment. Teachers as well suffer due to pressure and stress:

It is not only the students who are having a difficult time; the teachers are too. Many have to take time off work due to stress, while others create a life of drudgery for their pupils. Many Japanese seem to have lost their love for education and learning once they enroll in junior high school. Indeed, too much test-taking may result in shallow learning and a negative feeling toward school. (Burns, 2010)

     At our school, Amicus International, we evaluate the students based on internal testing such as Eiken(English test written specifically for Japanese kids), Kanken(Japanese Kanji test) and LAS Links (American English test). Although our school is classified as an Article 1 school and gets funding from the prefectural government, we also teach half our day in English, which is unique in Japan, hence the high tuition.

     Eiken is the Japanese-style English proficiency test catering to Japanese children. Kanken is the Japanese proficiency test, and LAS is simply an English test written by English speakers in America. American kids do poorly on the Eiken because it is written FOR Japanese kids who are learning English, so the questions do not make sense to them, but they do very well on the LAS. This showing the relativity, limitations and blind-sidedness of testing in general.

The LAS Links test is used at our school so that we can level the students into three groups per grade. Grade 3, for example, will have 3A, 3B and 3C, with C being the international class, A being the lowest level and B being the middle level. The teachers do not teach to the test and do not reward students, the class, nor themselves in any way. We use it as a gauge only for knowing student needs, abilities and level. This helps us prepare activities and projects accordingly.

We have to remember that as the times change so do the tests and the testing culture. There are some signs that things are changing in our new global village today. Although the course of study in classrooms over time has seen reforms for the better; testing is still an area in Japan that students find super stressful and even costly. 

By the time the Olympic games hit Tokyo in 2020, the MEXT curriculum will have a NEW Center Test called 'Daigaku Nyugaku Kyotsu'. This test will be designed to assess critical thinking, judgment, and expression, so as to not only foster "the acquisition of knowledge and skills, but also the ability to adapt to different professional environments and market needs"(Timsit, 2018).  Japan aims to maintain its competitive edge in the global economy by adapting its educational goals with the times and the job market of the 21st century and the unknown future.

References:

Burns, K. June 16th, 2010. Japan and its standardized test-based education system. Retrieved February 19th 2018 from: https://japantoday.com/category/features/opinions/japan-and-its-standardized-test-based-education-system

Timsit, A. January 13th, 2018. Overhauling Japan's High-stakes University Admission System. Retrieved February 19th 2018. From: https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/01/overhauling-japans-high-stakes-university-admission-system/550409/

Pre-Assessment and Innovative Differentiation Strategies

A Comprehensive Report Considering Differentiation Strategies for Pre-Assessment Activities

In the beginning of a lesson that is based on an objective underpinned by a standard a teacher needs to prepare, monitor, and assess the breadth of understanding by the students. Each student has a different academic readiness, depth of understanding and aptitude for knowledge. The job of the teacher is to closely monitor each students progress slowly so as to catch misconceptions quickly and be prepared to allocate activities accordingly.

As the classroom innovator, the teacher must constantly think and create strategies to help students with limited knowledge develop understanding of the topic. They also must think of innovative ways to capture and maintain the attention of the highest achievers so as not to loose them in the process of raising the lower students to their level.

Below is a mind-map of innovative differentiated strategies for three groups of students in an art class for grade 5. The objective is to learn how to use all art materials and tools pertaining to charcoal drawing with technical skill and precision. The lesson is based on flashcards for a pre-assessment. The flashcards help students work together to build-up vocabulary and enrich their understanding of charcoal drawing elements.

Below is the link to the QUIZLET created for the flashcards. These can be used in partners, groups or teams as gaming strategies, pictionary game on board activity, and other meaningful thinking activities that help prepare students for formative and summative assessments, as well as help the teacher identify students who are struggling from the beginning.

https://classroom.google.com/u/1/c/MTE1NDM1MDkxNTRa

https://quizlet.com/_4g5w2m

Resources:

Donges, Catherine. 2018. Retrieved from: http://education.seattlepi.com/advantages-authentic-assessment-over-standardized-testing-2893.html

Pendergrass, Emily. Getting Students to Mastery. December 2013/January 2014 | Volume 71 | Number 4 
Retrieved from: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/dec13/vol71/num04/Differentiation@_It_Starts_with_Pre-Assessment.aspx

peer observations-feedback for m5u5a1

Developing Cultural Competence Through Art (M5U5A2)

Multiculturalism and Diversity in a Classroom

The international framework of education is shifting and global standards are unfolding inside classrooms in order to foster inclusion, development of cultural competence, and strengthen communities and countries. It is important to bring multi-cultural content into each subject based on that subject in order to deepen student’s ability to relate and include multi-perspectives into their blossoming human repertoire as adults of the future.

The platform of teaching can help elevate student’s awareness of the diverse community and world they live in so they can have a wide spectrum of perspectives and tolerance. A teacher can incorporate multicultural content and foster multiple perspectives in all lessons.

Lessons in the art field and subject can reflect not just the diversity of the community and country, but local influences on the global art world. Japanese art as a whole has influenced specific famous artists such as Gustav Klimt and Vincent Van Gogh.  These European painters were pioneers and influenced our appreciation of art and culture today.
EXAMPLE:

   Flowering Plum Blossom by Hiroshige 1797, Japan      Vincent Van Gogh Flowering Plum Blossom 1887, France

Art unites people and places. For example, many of Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings have traditional ‘Ukiyo-e’ woodblock images from Japanese artists such as Hiroshige and Hokusai. These Japanese artists showed life in rural Japan, their communities and regional activities. The woodblock prints were cheaper then, and simply captured daily rituals and traditional habits, clothing and duties. When European artists saw these images, they found them inspiring and interesting. With the advent of WWI, art became more valuable; holding images of this era in a time-bound continuum.

In the Honolulu Museum, there are over 10,000 woodblock prints from Japanese masters like Utamaro and Hokusai. After WW1 and then Hiroshima, the art ended up in America. The point is that Art is part of our cross-cultural heritage as a human race, and as events around the globe happen, art is steered by those events and becomes a symbol uniting us through difficult times by a golden thread called art nostalgia.

Students’ cultural competence will be developed through activities that include research, presentations, and debate. Students will investigate and report on any of the following topics related to art and multicultural perspectives and influences, even fusion of art movements from different chronological timelines.

Choice of study research projects:

1. Identify and construct a plan of artistic chronology where different countries artists influenced another countries artists. Show evidence as to why and how that happened.

2. Build a timeline showing the trajectory of Chinese art influence over Japan, starting with Okinawa. Debate the differences and express some positive results of these influences.

3. How does art influence culture and society. How is art reflected in society?

4. How does art influence the architecture of a country? Show examples over the ages starting with the Romans. How did they influence other parts of the world.

5. Choose your own topic ( must be approved by the teacher)

Assessments will be done formatively as the students research their topic and take notes in their notebook. Comprising data in the WH5 (who, what, where, when, why, how). Also, cross-examining each other’s work with rotational 5 – 10 minute walk-arounds, changing partners. (student-centered activity) Teacher observes the students interacting, presenting to each other, and asking questions to show listening skills and understanding. A written essay and a project-board will be given for the purpose of visual presentation final report.

References

Encyclopedia of Art History. What is Japonism? Retrieved February 3rd 2018 from: http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/history-of-art/japonism.htm