Recently, standardized testing has become a major topic in education today. School officials have been trying to get teacher’s to spend more time on test question than actual classroom curriculum. Teachers are protesting this because it takes away from actual lesions they need to teach. School administrators are stressing these tests so much it almost seems like why learn anything if it's not on these test? I’ve always struggled with standardized tests myself, feeling that they aren’t a true reflection on my education. As a teacher I know I’ll struggle with the stress preparing kids for this test will bring. Researching a little more about this subject, it seems like more and more people are beginning to feel negative about these tests as well. There are six pretty good arguments out there exposing the negative impacts of standardized testing.
Taking the SATs before college was probably the most stressful part. While taking the test I felt completely overwhelmed and unprepared. With all the stress of junior year it was hard to do the necessary preparation to get a good score. I don’t understand why a test that I was hardly prepared for in class was a major part of a college’s decision of whether to accept me or not. It just doesn’t seem fair that I did all that other work in the classroom that seemed like nothing compared to SAT scores. I feel the SATs are out dated and a new system defiantly needs to be figured out. No one person learns the same and having one test to meet everyone’s needs doesn’t seem to cut it anymore.
So when I’m a teacher I hope preparation can be built into the curriculum. I hope there’s a way to not take away from classroom time but, to design lesions that meet both needs. Maybe if these tests are here to stay, they will at least create different tests to meet everyone’s needs no matter what kind of learner they are. While changing standardized test will probably be a slow process, hopefully the preparation can improve until then.
Taking the SATs before college was probably the most stressful part. While taking the test I felt completely overwhelmed and unprepared. With all the stress of junior year it was hard to do the necessary preparation to get a good score. I don’t understand why a test that I was hardly prepared for in class was a major part of a college’s decision of whether to accept me or not. It just doesn’t seem fair that I did all that other work in the classroom that seemed like nothing compared to SAT scores. I feel the SATs are out dated and a new system defiantly needs to be figured out. No one person learns the same and having one test to meet everyone’s needs doesn’t seem to cut it anymore.
So when I’m a teacher I hope preparation can be built into the curriculum. I hope there’s a way to not take away from classroom time but, to design lesions that meet both needs. Maybe if these tests are here to stay, they will at least create different tests to meet everyone’s needs no matter what kind of learner they are. While changing standardized test will probably be a slow process, hopefully the preparation can improve until then.
Skill and drill...skill and drill. I hated those two weeks before the PSSA tests. If teachers could look more toward developing a curriculum that addresses the material covered on state tests then they wouldnt have to skill and drill. I think you hit it right on the head and I hope school districts will begin to see the value in that type of curriculum!
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