Testing

The testing of children is a matter of much discussion in the UK. Some say there is too much, others say testing is essential. Some schools of home education thought do not believe in any kind of testing at all. Certainly not in the primary years. With all the anti-testing talk I get to feel guilty about testing, for example today as I wrote out a science assessment for the boys to do next week. But life is a test, our every decision in this life will be assessed in the hereafter. As children grow up they need to really understand what this means.
I test my children when I review with them the surahs they have memorised. I test them when they do spellings. And I do expect them to take formal qualifications when the time comes.
Surely the real trouble with "school" testing is when it is made to look scary, and made to dominate the whole learning process.
I was scared of an exam when I was eleven. The very large Mrs Hill, with the booming voice and floorboard shaking tread threatened unspecified doom should we fail to memorise French irregular verbs. I almost passed out in the exam hall, and was sent home without completing the paper. How ridiculous. I was never scared of an exam again, there is no need, it is not THAT important.
So a little bit of "schoolwork" testing here and there seems quite OK to me, as a realistic preparation for the wider learning environment. Nothing to get worried about.
The test of life and the accounting on the Day of Judgement is what should be feared. Preparation for that Day SHOULD be dominating our lives.