Problems with Standardized Testing
“There is something deeply hypocritical in a society that holds an inner-city child only eight years old "accountable" for her performance on a high-stakes standardized exam but does not hold the high officials of our government accountable for robbing her of what they gave their own kids six or seven years before.”
-Jonathan Kozol
In schools today, testing is the most important statistic for students. These long and drawn out tests have been the center of attention for almost every student, parent and teacher. A bad grade on one of these exams could be the reason a student doesn't get into a school or not... and many times students can't study ahead of time. Why should these tests count for so much? Is this really the best way to test students on their academic ability?
-Jonathan Kozol
In schools today, testing is the most important statistic for students. These long and drawn out tests have been the center of attention for almost every student, parent and teacher. A bad grade on one of these exams could be the reason a student doesn't get into a school or not... and many times students can't study ahead of time. Why should these tests count for so much? Is this really the best way to test students on their academic ability?
5 Reasons why Standardized Tests are not the best method
- It's an unreliable measure of student performance
- They only measure a small portion of what makes education meaningful
- "Teaching to the test" is replacing good teaching practices
- Standardized tests cause severe stress in younger students
- Excessive testing teaches children to be good at taking test, but not preparing them for productive adult lives.
1. It's an unreliable measure of student performance
Tests scores are always changing and fluctuating up and down. studies have shown that year-over-year test score improvements were only temporary with no long term, steady change. The problem is that everyone takes it as they go through high school but once they are done taking it, they don't have to take it again. This makes for the uneven and fluctuating test scores. Everyone takes it once and moves on. There is no way to test how well they actually retained the information after the test.
2. They only measure a small portion of what makes education meaningful
Qualities that standardized tests cannot measure include "creativity, critical thinking, resilience, motivation, persistence and self discipline. Numbers on paper only go so far. Test scores, polls and academic surveys may show how students did on a test on a certain day but they can't test the qualities that makes a person great. The values and morals that will get you far in life are impossible to test on paper.
3. "Teaching to the Test" is replacing good teaching practices
The problem teachers are faced with is a tough one. Do they teach them the way they know they should or should they teach them to pass the test? It's hard for them not to teach to the test because of the fact that teachers are evaluated on their students test scores. Even though it's not always the right way, many teachers now are teaching students to "beat the test" because curriculum now are so "test heavy". Its a growing problem that needs to be fixed.
4. Standardized Tests causes severe stress in younger students
Stress is probably the biggest reason why standardized testing isn't the best way to test students. Many students suffer from test anxiety. This is because schools stress the importance so much that they feel that they HAVE TO do well on these tests or they will fail. This leads to low test scores and bad grades because students don't do well in stressful environments. Common responses to "exam stress," include disturbed sleep patterns, tiredness, worry, irregular eating habits, increased infections, and inability to concentrate."
5. Excessive testing teaches children to be good at taking test, but not preparing them for productive adult lives.
The "drill and kill" method of schooling produces competent mediocrity. At the end of the day, testing kids all the way through school will not help them in the end. It doesn't teach them how pass an interview or how to be a good coworker or boss. Tests don't help prepare you for the future other then drill facts into your brain that many times, you will never need to know again. If it's not helping the ultimate purpose of preparing them for their future, then why is it such a big part of schools in today's society?
Real Life Look-in
I conducted an interview with the associate principle of Lake Orion High School, Darren Abbasse, and he gave me some of his thoughts on standardized testing and ACT testing in schools. One of my questions where, "How does standardized testing negatively students?" and his response was very thorough. He stated, "Some of the negative effects are centered around timed testing and the anxiety of having to answer a large number of questions in a short period of time. Standardized testing does not necessarily rate you on what you know but how you are able to assess the question and quickly narrow your choices to making a better response at the choices available." (Abbasse)
He also said that even though the ACT scores have gone up in the past five years, he still believes that standardized testing is not the best way to test students. At this time, it's the best way to get into college but, timed, standardized testing really just tests students on how to quickly analyze a problem instead of actually testing students on academic skills. Timed tests leads to anxiety because of the large number of problems that have to be answered in a short period of time. (Abbasse)
He also said that even though the ACT scores have gone up in the past five years, he still believes that standardized testing is not the best way to test students. At this time, it's the best way to get into college but, timed, standardized testing really just tests students on how to quickly analyze a problem instead of actually testing students on academic skills. Timed tests leads to anxiety because of the large number of problems that have to be answered in a short period of time. (Abbasse)
Work Cited
Edelstein, Daniel. "Tests + Stress = Problems For Students." brainconnection.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
ProCon.org. "Standardized Tests ProCon.org." ProCon.org. 5 Feb. 2013. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
"Is the use of standardized tests improving education in America?." standardizedtesting.net. Ed. Jonathan Pollard. N.p., n.d.
Meador, Derrick. "Standardized Testing ." teaching.about.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
Winters, David. "Standardized Testing Pros and Cons." certificationmap.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
Kozol, Jonathan. "Here are some opinions on Standardized Testing." N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
"Reading Rocks at Resnik." Photo. Reading Rocks at Resnik. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
"Papillion-La Vista School District - ACT Scores." Photo. Papillion-La Vista School District - ACT Scores. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Edelstein, Daniel. "Tests + Stress = Problems For Students." brainconnection.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
ProCon.org. "Standardized Tests ProCon.org." ProCon.org. 5 Feb. 2013. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
"Is the use of standardized tests improving education in America?." standardizedtesting.net. Ed. Jonathan Pollard. N.p., n.d.
Meador, Derrick. "Standardized Testing ." teaching.about.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
Winters, David. "Standardized Testing Pros and Cons." certificationmap.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
Kozol, Jonathan. "Here are some opinions on Standardized Testing." N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
"Reading Rocks at Resnik." Photo. Reading Rocks at Resnik. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
"Papillion-La Vista School District - ACT Scores." Photo. Papillion-La Vista School District - ACT Scores. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.