We have come to the end of our week of standardized testing, and each student managed the change in routine like a pro. We started each day with recess, followed by yoga and our chapter book. After reading each day, we took two tests, with a break in between. Although a bit unfamiliar with the process, students got better each day. This is the practical life reason we do this testing.
Standardized tests, by nature, have limitations. They focus on assessing a narrow set of academic skills, primarily rote memorization and the regurgitation of information. This approach fails to acknowledge Montessori students’ unique strengths, interests, and talents. The Montessori method encourages children to explore their passions, make connections across subject areas, and develop a deep understanding of concepts through hands-on experiences, aspects of learning overlooked in the standardized testing format.
So, as we reflect on these four days of testing, we are reminded that true education encompasses far more than can be measured by this assessment. Instead, we celebrate the unique strengths and capabilities of our students, who are poised to positively impact the world, armed with a genuine love of learning and a holistic foundation of knowledge.
In that spirit, we share three poems written by Upper Elementary students.
Pet Goose, by Virginia
My pet goose
Somehow got loose
And took my boat
To go for a cruise.
Then my goose
Met a moose
And when the goose
Saw the moose
Goose ran
‘Cause the moose
Screws were loose.
The goose
Left and
He went on a cruise
And then
I never saw that goose again.
Ice Cream Day, by Mia
Yay, hooray, it’s ice cream day!
All the kids come out and play.
And when mothers call for the kids,
Everyone knows what time it is.
Mika, by Lulu
furry, playful, cute
like a pirate she likes her loot
which is usually her beef sticks
she’s really crazy about giving licks
she likes walking in the park
she has a very excited bark
when she’s excited she wags her tail
when she’s at training class she’ll never fail
but sometimes she’s a lot of work
especially when she got hurt
but overall she’s a lot of fun
she likes to chase birds in the sun
once she jumped in a river
but not to eat gross fish liver
sometimes she will bite
or stay up to beg for food all night
sometimes she looks like she is dancing
and if she’s proud she’ll start prancing