When I Think of Child Developmeny

Here are some quotes about children that I like:
1. Anybody can have a baby, but it takes that man or woman to raise that child.-By Me

2. “When God Created Mothers"

When the Good Lord was creating mothers, He was into His sixth day of "overtime" when the angel appeared and said. "You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one." 

And God said, "Have you read the specs on this order?" She has to be completely washable, but not plastic. Have 180 moveable parts...all replaceable. Run on black coffee and leftovers. Have a lap that disappears when she stands up. A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair. And six pairs of hands." 

The angel shook her head slowly and said. "Six pairs of hands.... no way." 

It's not the hands that are causing me problems," God remarked, "it's the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have." 

That's on the standard model?" asked the angel. God nodded. 

One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, 'What are you kids doing in there?' when she already knows. Another here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn't but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say. 'I understand and I love you' without so much as uttering a word." 

God," said the angel touching his sleeve gently, "Get some rest tomorrow...." 

I can't," said God, "I'm so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick...can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger...and can get a nine year old to stand under a shower." 

The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. "It's too soft," she sighed. 

But tough!" said God excitedly. "You can imagine what this mother can do or endure." 

Can it think?" 

Not only can it think, but it can reason and compromise," said the Creator. 

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. 

There's a leak," she pronounced. "I told You that You were trying to put too much into this model." 

It's not a leak," said the Lord, "It's a tear." 

What's it for?" 

It's for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride." 

You are a genius, " said the angel. 

Somberly, God said, "I didn't put it there.” 
― Erma Bombeck, When God Created Mothers

3. “Your children are the greatest gift God will give to you, and their souls the heaviest responsibility He will place in your hands. Take time with them, teach them to have faith in God. Be a person in whom they can have faith. When you are old, nothing else you've done will have mattered as much.” 
― Lisa Wingate

4. “When kids hit 1 year old, it's like hanging out with a miniature drunk. You have to hold onto them. They bump into things. They laugh and cry. They urinate. They vomit.” 
― Johnny Depp

Testing for Intelligence?

Testing for Intelligence

If I had a commitment to viewing young children holistically, I believe that a child should be measured or assessed by taking the testing for intelligence, but don't solely depend on  the test because their are other factors that can determine it. Observation will help you to understand the child, whereas taking tests are good and bad because some people are good test takers, but that does not mean that they are intelligent. Some people are bad test takers, but are very intelligent even though they didn't past their test. The reason why I say this is because we tend to put students in different categorize and weave out the other children that didn't past their test, but come to find out later on that the child who past the test is not passing the the rest of their classes. I believe that every child should be testing for intelligence to see where do they stand and if the child didn't pass the test don't count him/her out as to be intelligent because taking a test does not prove whether that child is intelligent or not because the prove of grades, checklists, interviews, and the action of that child should be determined on a daily basis. I believe that children in the elementary schools are taking too many test in order for them to past to the next grade. I feel like that is too much stress, anxiety, and pressure on those children and it is sad that they haven't even made it to the High School where they have to continue to take standardized test or state test in order to pass to the next grade or even graduate. I feel like children should not have to take all those test because that is what the teachers is there for, to help the children where they are weak in that subject area. I feel like the test is affecting the children more because it is stressful and tiresome.

Wisconsin: A Parent's Guide to Standards and Assessment

Academic Standards, Curriculum and Assessment

Parents of school-age children find that some things have remained the same since they went to school and that some things have changed. In the last 20 years, schools have experienced many changes in “academic standards,” “curriculum,” and “assessment.” What exactly do these terms mean? How are they connected? How can parents help children do well in school? In this brochure, the term “parent” also refers to the child’s primary caregiver(s), such as grandparents or other adults who have primary responsibility for the child.

What Are Wisconsin Academic Standards?

Academic standards specify what students should know and be able to do. Wisconsin has academic standards for 21 separate content areas, and adopted Common Core State Standards forEnglish language arts and mathematics in 2010. In addition, Wisconsin adopted Common Core State Standards for Literacy in All Subjects

What is the Curriculum?

The curricula used in your child’s classroom prepare your child to meet the standards. The standards define what children will learn at certain points in time and what performances are accepted as evidence that the child has learned. Parents can get more specific information about the connections among the academic standards, the curriculum, and the tests in their school district from their children’s teachers, the school principal, or the guidance counselor.

What is Assessment?

How is a Child’s Learning Progress Measured?

Schools use many ways to assess, or measure, the progress of students: homework completion, class projects, portfolios, unit tests, and student effort. Another way to measure student progress statewide is with state tests. In Wisconsin, the state Department of Public Instruction develops and administers statewide examinations to measure children’s learning in five subject areas:

1. reading 2. language arts 3. mathematics 4. science 5. social studies

The statewide tests that children take help improve teaching and learning. The tests are based on Wisconsin’s Model Academic Standards, and results are reported in terms of proficiency standards. For example, a fourth-grade student’s score on the statewide mathematics test will be reported in terms of the standards established for learning at fourth grade.

The DPI website at: http://www2.dpi.state.wi.us/wsas/default.aspreports summaries of proficiency scores for all public schools statewide. Schools are required to report test results to parents of students in fourth, eighth, and tenth grades. Children will take state tests, or tests developed by the school district, at school

Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations (WKCE)

At Grades 3-8, and 10

The Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination (WKCE) is customized to measure the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards (WMAS) and is developed and designed by the Department of Public Instruction and Wisconsin educators in conjunction with CTB/McGraw-Hill. This standardized test is composed of items specifically designed for Wisconsin and a few commercially developed questions used in schools across the country. Students in grades 3, 5, 6, and 7 take tests in Reading and Mathematics. Students in grades 4, 8, and 10 take tests in Reading, Mathematics, Science, Language Arts, Writing, and Social Studies. WKCE is administered to all the students enrolled in Wisconsin public schools during the fall of each school year.

The purpose of the WKCE is to provide information about student attainment of subject-area proficiency to students, parents, and teachers, information to support curriculum and instructional planning; and a measure of accountability for schools and districts. The results of the WKCE are used by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) as an accountability measure for school improvement to meet its statutory requirement of identifying low-performing schools as stipulated by Wisconsin s. 115.38(4), meet the federal Title I (NCLB) requirement to determine how well children are learning, and determine the extent to which schools and districts across the state are meeting the Wisconsin proficiency standards.

You can find more information about the WKCE at:

http://dpi.wi.gov/oea/wkce.html

The Wisconsin Alternate Assessment for Students with Disabilities (WAA-SwD)

The Wisconsin Alternate Assessment for Students with Disabilities (WAA-SwD) is administered to any student with significant cognitive disabilities when the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team determines that the student is unable to participate in the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination (WKCE), even with accommodations. The WAA-SwD is administered to students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in reading and mathematics, and grades 4, 8 and 10 in science. The reading, mathematics and science WAA-SwD test forms and administration guidelines were initially developed for the 2007-08 administration and the assessment is now scheduled to be administered in the fall of each school year.

The purpose of the WAA-SwD is to provide information about student achievement and to allow school district staff to use test results to improve educational programs. The WAA-SwD is designed to meet the requirements of the NCLB accountability goals, IDEA, Wisconsin Statutes, and to provide students, parents, teachers, and schools with information about how students are progressing in relation to the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards through the Wisconsin Grade Band Standards.