"Today, standardized tests continue to level the social playing field. Standardized testing provides a consistent measure for academic success, offer high-achieving students a way to prove themselves that is unbound by their social circumstances, and create an objective appraisal by which all schools can be compared." (Dickinson, 2019). I definitely understand the objective here, we are trying to show what our students have learned using measurable data, but what we do not see is how they may not be testing as well as they do when we informally assess them in the classroom. "Despite these potential benefits, many experts argue that education systems over rely on standardized testing for assessment. Such reliance can lead teachers to "teach to the test" and provide unfair advantages to communities that can afford better test prep." (Dickinson, 2019). How is this fair to our students? Then this makes me think, "Am I teaching to help my kids, or in order to impress administration? Am I actually showing what my students learned?"
Other countries don't use standardized testing in the way that we do. "Finland's education system relies sparingly on standardizes tests, while the United States leans heavily on them."(Dickinson, 2019). So what does Finland do instead of the standard standardized test? "Finland's education system has one major standardized test, the national matriculation examination. This test is taken by students at the end of their general upper secondary education and consists of four exams. Students must take a mother tongue language exam. They then select from the following subjects for their next three exams: mathematics, a foreign language, the second national language, and a general studies subject such as humanities or science." (Dickinson, 2019). I love the fact that students have a choice in what they want to test on. I have noticed that some of my students test better in mathematics than reading because that is their stronger subject. I would like to see something like this implemented in our school systems.
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Hello Heather, great blog post! After reading your post I received a different look on what assessment because of the stress the children can take on from the test. I think also when children are just getting in school, they shouldn't be tested because children won't be able to give it their all. I think they should be tested in the middle of the year.
ReplyDeleteHeather,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your blog and could relate to having an anxiety when it comes to taking them. If testing is a sore subject for you and I as an adult can you imagine how children are feeling as test are much the same as when you were in school with an extra pinch of difficulty in every question, essay or problem making them second guess themselves prompting fear and nausea until the experience is over. I believe assessments are needed however, I feel that there should be a way to implement test to meet the need of all students and allow the teacher to teach material students need and not just what standardized test require.
When I was interning in a third grade classroom, I saw first hand how bad test anxiety can be. My students were in the middle of state testing, and it took over a week for them to complete. On the second day of testing one of my students was breathing very heavily. All of a sudden he fell out of the desk because he had had a panic induced fainting spell. It was terrifying. Testing should not cause this kind of anxiety in a nine year old.
DeleteHeather,
ReplyDeleteIt was a wonderful experience being in Early Childhood Development with you. I could feel your passion in your post and if nothing else I believe educators must have a passion for teaching children. I appreciate you for your efforts and support in education. Best wishes in the courses to come, I am sure you will do great !