A Season for Learning, a Season for Testing

Today, there is no shortage of ways for people to show their skills, whether it is dancing, playing the piano, or doing somersaults. For some skills, simply watching someone perform is enough to see how skilled they are. But not every skill is so easy to judge. Japan, with its thousands of certification tests, shows how much importance people can place not only on skills themselves, but also on proving those skills.
But I would like to argue that there is a season for learning and a season for testing.

Testing and Its Anxieties

Even people who have spent many hours learning a subject may become anxious when they enter an examination room. The announcements, the silence, and the watchful eyes of the invigilators can all create stress. In extreme cases, people may sweat, feel sick, or experience a racing heart as the test approaches. The anxiety may continue during the test, while waiting for the results, and even when the results are announced.

In Japan, some parents guide their children through several rounds of examinations over many years. They certainly believe that they are helping their children develop important skills for the future. Some critics, however, believe that too much testing can place unnecessary pressure on children.

A Season for Learning

In the early stages of learning any subject, learners need the freedom to experiment. Parents understand this very well. They do not correct every mistake a baby makes while learning to speak. They know that “tichen” will eventually become “kitchen” and “peepo” will become “people.” There is no need for stress.

Constant correction can cause a beginner to stop speaking or trying. This is a problem because making mistakes is an important part of learning. If you are learning a foreign language and make a mistake, no one will arrest you. A correction can simply help you speak a little better next time.

There is another danger when testing becomes the main goal of learning. Teachers may begin to teach mainly for the test. As a result, other activities that could help learners develop a deeper understanding of the subject may be pushed aside. A learner may pass the test but miss many things that could help them in the future.

A Season for Testing

But a learner cannot remain a beginner forever. If they hope to master a subject, at some point, they must be willing to take a test. Preparing for a test can make a learner more careful and disciplined. Instead of simply studying when they feel like it, they have a clear goal and a deadline.

Testing can also provide useful feedback. As the test approaches, learners can discover what they know well and what they still need to improve. They can then change their study methods and focus on their weak areas.

Protect the Beginner, but…

The beginning learner should be given time and freedom to experiment. This freedom can create a love of learning, and every mistake can become a small step toward mastery.

But the learner who is moving toward mastery must eventually accept the discipline of testing. They must be willing to receive feedback, recognize their mistakes, and find ways to overcome them.

There is a season for learning without fear and a season for testing with discipline. The challenge is knowing when to move from one season to the other.

written by Everett Ofori