1399 The Value of Testing

As a parent, you’ve probably heard the moans and groans of “I’ve got a test!”.

It rings in our house too often. And unfortunately, I can relate. Testing has never been my thing. My knowledge or skills of a subject were not reflected in my tests scores.

But there was not another option, and still isn’t today even with our technology. So the moans and groans continue to echo loudly especially with the holidays drawing near. That means the semester is coming to an end.

So what is the value in testing?

Well if you ponder it long enough, you can come to the realization that we are ALL, regardless of age, tested.

Knowledge is power!

God even tests us. However, our opinion of tests still remain the same. We don’t want a test, especially from God!

If we’ve graduated from high school or college, we don’t want any more tests. Yet we get them every day!

What if your testing was simply an achievement of skills, knowledge, and abilities, and preparation for what’s to come?

Would that change your opinion of tests?

For me, probably not! The word itself makes me cringe!

However, if our children can handle it, so can we. But it’s looking at the bigger picture than questions on a page with a pencil and scantron in front of us. (Ya remember the #2 pencil. Today, though, there’s tablets and technology. No pencils needed. Only the finger.)

But let’s get serious, how can you get through the tests and see the value of testing?

Study for the test!

The K.I.S.S. ~ S.T.U.D.Y. for the test!

Preparation is key to anything you want to accomplish in life. This goes for you and I, and our children.

1. Simplify the process. Don’t over complicate what you are to be learning.
2. Tighten the reigns. Stay focused. Don’t get too excited about what’s to come or getting done with the test, only to rush through the test.
3. Understand the bigger picture. Concepts and skills. What can you take with you?
4. Demonstrate your dedication. Commit time to accomplishing what you need now into later.
5. Yearn for success. What’s to come. Trust the process and what God is divinely designing.

The value in testing isn’t found in the outcome of the test. It’s discovered in the process of preparation.

It’s not about the destination. It’s about the journey.