Author: Miriam Cohen
Plot Summary: When the lady from the principal's office brings a test for the first grade class, the children have trouble with the test and feel bad. Fortunately, their teacher explains that a test doesn't reflect important things like creativity, kindness, and friendship.
Posted In: Philosophy of Education, Social and Political Philosophy

Discussion Questions

• Why were the students upset after taking the test?
• Was the teacher a good teacher? What makes someone a good teacher?
• Is a supportive teacher the same thing as a good teacher?
• Where do affirmation and encouragement factor in to a teacher’s success?
• Does a test measure the teaching ability of a teacher?
• What are the qualities of a good student?
• Why is standardized testing written? Does this advantage some students over others?
• Should tests be free response or at least allow space for explanation of answers?
• Is there such a thing as a perfect test? A perfect test for a single student?
• What does testing do for self-esteem of students?
• Do tests measure intelligence?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of advancing a student in a special class or higher grade-level early?
• What are alternatives to testing?
• Is taking a test a skill in itself?
• If a student continually tries, but fails over and over, does this make them a bad student? Does hard work have more weight in the evaluation of a student than test scores?
• What are examples of intelligence outside of high-test scores?
• Are intelligent people admirable?
• What would a philosophical test look like?
• Why do we emphasize the importance of single, right answers?

Contributed by Gobe Hirata