Are standardized tests failing our children? Are these tests truly improving instruction or are they forcing teachers to merely "teach to the test"? With the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, critics of standardized tests lament that teachers are now being compelled to do just that. The temptation to teach students to do well on standardized tests is almost unavoidable when performance on such tests is how entire school systems are evaluated.
Testing supporter President Bush said, if we are teaching math and reading, teaching to math and reading tests makes sense. However, math and reading include many distinct skills. If a test gauges only a few of those skills deemed as important; are teachers only emphasizing those skills that are being tested, possibly ignoring other skills that are just as important? For example, San Antonio, Texas fifth-grade teacher Teddi Beam-Conroy used to liven up her history lessons on the Colonies by having her students do simulations to better understand the concept of being "colonized" (Beam-Conroy). Now such special projects are an unaffordable luxury. Teachers are too busy prepping students for the state-mandated tests.
States have mostly failed to keep a balance between test questions and standards. Many state reading tests emphasize identification of details, not the main idea. Educators call identifying details a "basic skill." Recognizing a main idea is a "higher-order skill." Teachers preparing for tests made up of mostly basic skills will not do to much to train students in higher-order thinking.
Many people argue that if test scores are low, basic skills should be a priority. After all, it seems students should master the basics first. However, good teaching should let basic and higher skills reinforce one another. A student need not perfect an ability to recall details before learning to summarize a main idea.
The U.S. Department of Education maintains that in a strong accountability system, the curriculum is driven by academic standards, and annual tests are tied to the standards.
There are many different types of standardized tests, the most common are SAT, Scholastic Aptitude Test, and ACT, American College Testing. Numerous Students and teachers dread standardized test. ... Standardized test are biased. ... There are uses of standardized achievement tests that I regard as acceptable. ... Take the pressure off; do not make standardized tests high-stakes tests. ...
Is standardized testing the best way to test? ... I feel that standardized testing is not the best way to test because they do not prove how smart an individual is. ... Roberts and asked her a few questions about how she felt about standardized testing. ... " Standardized testing I feel is biased based upon one's culture. ... Standardized tests tend to narrow the curriculum to what will be tested. ...
Standardized Testing Since the 1920's when "intelligence tests" were introduced through the 1960's when the development of aggregated data on student achievement began standardized testing has played an important role in U.S education. ... Peter Sacks of Fair Test, a popular organization against standardized testing, was quoted saying, "How has the standardized testing paradigm managed to remain entrenched, despite the many criticisms against it? ... We are a nation of standardized-testing junkies." ... Basically, what that means, is standardized tests along with other tests ends up...
"Urban graduation scam needs to be addressed" Standardized testing is a very controversial topic among education administrators. Some feel that these tests are a good way to compare students city, state, and nation wide. While others feel that these tests are created unfairly and that they place too much pressure on teachers to "teach the test". ... This article has taken another look at state develop tests. ... Education needs standardized tests, but standardized tests need more work....
Standardized testing "No issue in the U.S. Education is more controversial than (standardized) testing. ... Such understanding reduces the need for currently used standardized tests. ... The American people have consistently advocated greater use of standardized student testing, and more states now than even administer standardized tests on a regular basis. ... The basic argument made by those in opposition to standardized testing is that standardized tests are counterproductive. ...
One problem that I think had the most impact on my educational career was the amount of standardized tests given. ... These standardized tests are also reliable. ... The main reason that a good objective, standardized test is fairer than a good performance test is that, for a test of reasonable length, a good standardized test can probe a much larger and more representative sample of the subject (domain) being sampled. ... If a content (knowledge) domain is being tested, then a good standardized test can sample a bigger portion of the whole domain than can a performance test which takes the s...
Throughout history the Public School System never made it mandatory to have their students take national standardized test. ... This is exactly how these standardized tests should be used, as a basis. ... There are a vast amount of ways for a student's progress to be assessed in a classroom with standardized testing being just one of the procedures. ... (Davey, Neill) What we should be doing is not so much looking at the standardized test but look at the system and students that we are testing. These standardized tests although not without faults, can be highly effective in improving the...
Public concern has caused political campaigns to discuss standardized testing policies in recent years. According to Orfield and Wald, public interest leaders feel that citizens want to hold the school systems accountable for the inequality of standardized tests, which are causing some educational advocates to show concern that some teachers will lower their standards so students scores will improve. ... Moreover, many teacher and principal's salaries rely on standardized tests, which may have the effect of many high poverty schools wanting to hire uncertified and inexperienced teacher...
