What do you think might be the most common questions teachers in all grade levels hear from their students? You are correct if you were thinking of something to do with passing examinations. Will this be on the test? What do we have to know to pass the test? What happens if we fail? Do we get another chance?

Beginning soon after birth (some folks might say soon after conception) children are measured and compared to arbitrary standards of physical, mental, social, and even emotional well being. Parents and grandparents share pictures and compare achievements. Physicians measure and chart. Professional educators establish entrance specifications and performance expectations. As we progress through life, measurements of what we know and how we grow determine how others relate to us as well …