It is important for me, everyday, to show my children what a good person act like because I am not only facilitating learning; I am teaching the WHOLE child!  In an early childhood setting, children may not always understand what you are trying to explain to them but your actions will always convey a message.  Actions Speak Louder than Words.

Testing for Intelligence?

As a preschool teacher one of my jobs is to instill school readiness in my children.  This includes (but is not limited to), self-regulation skills, development of gross and fine motor skills (physical development), teaching my students basic skills to taking care of themselves, giving students individualized and group instruction based on academic needs and their interests, and to help properly develop the students’ personal and social skills.  As far as measuring a child’s progress in all of these areas, there is some debate to the validity and to what standards they are being measured by.  I feel that through play interaction, small group instruction, and other informal notes it is possible to assess the whole child.

In later grades there are formal tests along with concrete evidence from classwork based on state standards.  The difference for kindergarten and preschool is that children are still developing in areas that are not included in standardized tests such as social/emotional skills and self-regulation.  A kindergarten entrance assessment has been suggested to really identify the child’s learning level and cognitive abilities (Jones, 2011).

 

The Italian education system is standardized, meaning curriculum and exam materials are set by two bodies, the Ministry of Education and the National Education Council. The aim of this standardization is to ensure that all students receive an equal education. There are annual tests to make sure that students know the material and that they can advance to the next grade. There is less of an emphasis on written exams.  Oral exams are emphasized.
 

While school is required starting at age five or six, younger children sometimes attend nurseries (starting at three months) or scuola materna (three to five years). The education system is free to all and every child is ensured a spot.  Though parents do have a private school option for their children.

Compulsory education goes until age 14 (which they are trying to raise).  After that they reach upper secondary school where they must choose a college prep approach to schooling or a vocational route.

Whichever route they choose to take there are written and oral exams that determine if they pass or fail.

 Resources

Jones, J. (2011). Assessing Young Children's Learning and Development. Principal, 90(5), 12-15. 

http://www.ehow.com/about_5313137_education-system-italy.html

Youth and Racism

Racism is not something that I really even think about in my everyday life.  But I am very aware that it still exists.  My parents, specifically my father, have experienced Racism throughout their lives.  My father is from South Carolina, so he has seen and experienced way worse cases than my mother.  My mother is from New Jersey and can only recall a few situations of outright Racism against her.

My father went to school in South Carolina until he was nine.  When he came to New Jersey he said that in a sense the affect of Racism was worse because he was starting to become more aware of it.  He told me about his 5th grade teacher who was white.  He said that throughout the year she would always tell her African-American and Latino students that they were going to amount to nothing because they did not look like their white classmates.  She did not expect very much from him and some of his classmates took it to heart and never tried to achieve high.  He on the other hand knew that he needed an education.

Racism can be a touchy subject.  Minority groups can become enraged by the topic and white people cringe at the awkward conversation that may ensue.  The truth is that racism is still alive and because of its long history it has been unconsciously embedded in the practices of many people.  Even the minority groups themselves.  The feeling that even when you achieve something great, that there is an even bigger battle to fight can be discouraging to minority youth.  An article I read explains this concept better:

"For Whites, education can be a clear and straight path on which they will be more likely to achieve the goals they and their parents set.  For too many racial minority young people, education represents a crooked path, and the odds of reaching its end are stacked against them."

In 2005 and again in 2012 there were riots from French Muslim Youth due to the discrimination of the French government.  Though these youth are rightful citizens of France, they are not being given the same liberties and equalities that white French citizens are receiving.  There is racial segregation, socio-economic injustices, a lack of adequate schooling, and are living in urban slums.  These riots are not viewed as the jihad trying to infiltrate the government, these can be compared to the the LA and Harlem riots in the US.  Youth trying make themselves better!

Resources

http://media.proquest.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/media/pq/classic/doc/2271123791/fmt/pi/rep/NONE?hl=racism%2Cas%2Ca%2Cstressors%2Cstressor%2Cfor%2Cchild%2Cchildren&cit%3Aauth=Hughes%2C+Carolyn%3BNewkirk%2C+Reginald%3BStenhjem%2C+Pamela+H&cit%3Atitle=Addressing+the+Challenge+of+Disenfranchisement+of+Youth%3A+Poverty+and+Racism+in+the+Schools&cit%3Apub=Reclaiming+Children+and+Youth&cit%3Avol=19&cit%3Aiss=1&cit%3Apg=22&cit%3Adate=Spring+2010&ic=true&cit%3Aprod=ProQuest+Central&_a=20130601151354121%253A463755-95102-ONE_SEARCH-74.116.157.210-33810-852771224-DocumentImage-null-null-Online-FT-PFT-2010%252F04%252F01-2010%252F06%252F30---Online--------Scholarly%2BJournals---------PrePaid--T1M6RU1TLVBkZkRvY1ZpZXdCYXNlLWdldE1lZGlhVXJsRm9ySXRlbQ%3D%3D-%257BP-1007025-14872-CUSTOMER-10000039%252F10000147-1168523%257D&_s=STrAVN5idt9gl75fX%2FUjOoCRYqw%3D 

 http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1127429,00.html