When I Think of Child Development

Testing for intelligence

While I don’t agree with standardized testing seeing that growing I had a hard time with them. I do think that students need to be assessed. There are other ways to assess then standardized testing such as one on one or observation.  With all this technology in the classroom it seems that the teachers rely on it too much and when its goes down or something happens they don’t always seem to have a backup plan in mind.

With all the testing done on the computer it seems to hinder the students because they don’t have the hands on ability and that’s how a lot of students learn. 

As the teacher you know to get to know your class and figure out what kind of assessment works best for the whole class and not just for you. That way you will get the best results and truly know where the students are. When I was in school I was a very bright student but I couldn’t take a standardized test. I had severe test anxiety and would clam up during testing. I had to retake the FCAT reading twice so that I was able to graduate because I didn’t get a high enough score to pass in 10^th grade. Due to that I was never able to show I truly did know the work I just couldn’t focus on standardized tests. 

Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

Growing up as a child I experience violence in my life. According to my grandparents I was so malnourished as a child that my hair was falling out and I would always come to them and have new bruises on me due to that I was taken out of my mom custody. I don’t remember any of this only what my family tells me and what I have read in old court papers. My dad also tends to have a temper at times. I do remember one time when I was younger that my dad was fighting with his girlfriend at the time and I got out of bed because I heard the fighting and ended up with a dresser on top of me. My dad pushed his girlfriend into the dresser and because it wasn't properly attached to the wall the top part ended up falling on top of me.  As life went on a similar situation happen with my youngest brother except it was with the Christmas tree that wasn't properly tied to the wall. I have been through a lot of abuse and violence growing up and I ended up suppressing most of it. Until I got into my twenties that’s when I started to rebel against my parents and would sneak off to my boyfriend’s house. Eventually I got caught and it ended up a big huge fight. The biggest fight I had was the day I moved out because my mom didn't want me to but by that time my mind was made up and nothing she could say was going to stop me. I do miss living with them at times but I am happy living on my own with my fiance and I’m only 2 hours away from my family. So I do go and visit often.