The Child and his Streaming Exam

Many years ago, a nondescript classroom of cardboard walls and scaled-down furniture tried to contain the antics of a loud, hyperactive child. The child would not keep his mouth shut and had a habit of always querying the teacher. Even his classmates grew exasperated. The child did not know any better.

Come his third year in Opera Estate Primary School. A streaming exam was to be conducted to slot students into streams that most suited their learning abilities. The teacher lined the class up and ushered them to the hall.

Streaming? or Screaming Exam? Sure pass one what.. The child decided to practise his vocal abilities and promptly got a knock on his head for his efforts.

Teacher, why got exam today? The child asked.

Aiyah just do lah. Doesn't effect your final marks

So the child, as all children would do, spent as little time on the exam as possible so that he could go down to the canteen to buy the chocolate cake for 30cents and a plastic container so that he could catch tadpoles in the drain. The child also copied his friend during the IQ test later just so that he'll be done first or rather second.

Was the child correctly tested on his learning abilities?

In theory the streaming system appears to be a godsend. Allowing students to channel into their preferred learning curves. Defined by their "learning abilities". On the ground we know that it's not learning abilities that mark the difference between the special and the express and the normal. It's the motivation to study. It's the individual's psychosociological make-up. It's the child's environment and influence. The child does not know any better and labelling him even before he knows any better does not help. The less labels you give the child, the more he can define himself.