For example, decrease in importance of high-stakes and use diverse strategies. Most of the disadvantages of it effects the school, teachers, and students as a whole not just individually. Many problems have occurred from these tests such as test taking anxiety, competition between teachers, racial and poverty inequalities, and devotion towards tests. These reasons show how standardized tests are not helping schools and students, but, hurting them.
Studies show that this numerical score, otherwise known as VAM (value-added modeling), is both unstable and unfair. The overwhelming tendency for the same teacher’s scores to fluctuate between multiple years concerns the critics of standardized tests and is a major flaw in the system. As stated by Diane Henningfeld, author of Standardized Testing- At Issue, “the true quality of a teacher is likely to change very little over time” (54). The current system, however, frequently penalizes educators when natural fluctuation occurs.
A student’s mental/physical health and future as an authentic learner is most at risk here. No matter how many cries from multiple students are heard, they continue to be silenced. Simply put, all standardized testing should be abolished for they are hurting students both in and out of classrooms. As students we deserve the ability to access authentic learning, however, with standardized testing heavily relied on, students are deprived of this interaction. In order to comprehend the authenticity being compromised, we must first understand, what is authentic learning.
This choice of deciding a person 's entrance or exclusion has its share of supporters. However, the effectiveness of standardized testing is questionable amongst some. Certainly, critics oppose standardized tests with the rationale that they do not accurately measure students ' knowledge, and they are expensive and stressful. For example, envision a high school student that, in terms of academic intelligence, measures far beyond par when it
She stated that these “high-stakes” test will not reflect his true abilities due to pressure. Some educators agree that the testing format from standardized tests are not ideal. However, there were other educators who disagree stating that these tests are needed to ensure that educators are doing their job and for student to absorb the material (Tony 8). What the standardized tests already ensure are the unbiased and reliable way in measuring a student’s ability and a teacher’s effectiveness in the classroom. Having said that, making stricter standards and increasing testings are way to better the student in preparation for college.
The system of scoring that is currently used hurts both slower, and advanced students due to its pressure and ease. "Tracking generally hurts slower students but does not help more advanced students" ("How Standardized Testing Damages Education" 1). Tracking of test scores as a school or even class only hurts both sides, advanced students get bored because they have to slow down for the other students, and slower students feel pressured to rush, because of the advanced students. Currently, students spend an immense amount of time studying for both low-risk and high-risk assessments respectively. "Education increasingly resembles test prep" ("How Standardized Testing Damages Education" 1).
Activity#1: The Pros and Cons of Testing from Two Perspectives Standardized testing is advantageous in many ways. One of the most important benefits is that standardized testing holds teachers and schools responsible for teaching students what they should know, since the student’s achievements in these tests become public record and schools and teachers can come under scrutiny if the scores indicated that they aren’t up to the par. It also guides teachers and helps them determine what to teach and pinpoint and determine the gaps where the student needs to invest more time and effort in order to fill it.
Political groups are incented for poor performance, while better performance incents a public platform. Additionally there are reports that reveal that where schools have subpar performance on standardized tests, there has been a decrease in property value. It’s only common sense that achievement paves the way to effectiveness and students, like adults, are more effective if they understood what they have to gain. What would be the advantage in the success of the experience and how can the experience be applied in the future? Who should be responsible for student performance on assessments that carry so much weight in areas more than just school?
Schools should fully support individuality and give students a choice of what classes they would like to take. Full support of individuality can be accomplished by removing mandatory classes that can be repetitive such as the mathematical classes of Algebra. Other
As reported by the Office of Work/Life of the Columbia University there are both pros and cons of standardized testing. They state that the main benefit is that these tests make schools and teachers accountable, and that they should teach what students need to know for these tests. This, however, has a con; teachers may lose jobs and schools may be even shut if students repeatedly, which will put extreme pressure on both parties, in turn, causing them to teach only what would be necessary, hindering a student’s potential. Another pro included in this report is the ability that it gives educational boards to evaluate sub-groups and develop programs so as to better educate them. Standardized tests also allow parents to see how their children are doing in school compared to the country, state, or municipality.
We also provide our students tools to learn to be accountable for their own individual learning, creating self-confidence and awareness of their individual success. At Ronald Reagan Middle School, we believe that a teacher is obligated, morally, to enter each classroom with
Having the teachers work with one another will allow the teachers to make sure that they know what they are teaching and can help one another with any problems they may be having. The last policy was the safety and security plan, which passed. I feel that this policy is absolutely necessary in all schools, today safety in schools is often tested and needs to be as thorough as
Unfortunately, some teachers are more lenient than other when applying this rule. There is an inconsistency with the punishment of some cheating instances over others. For example, Laurel has strict rules on cheating on standardized tests. Because there is such a huge spotlight public schools to perform well on standardized testing, administrators take extra precaution to avoid any incidents that may blemish their appearance, such as a student caught cheating, thus invalidating the test scores of every other student in the area. While this is an effective protocol, it should also be applied in areas outside of testing, like homework for example.
These grades are kindergarten and the 1st through the 12th grade. Introduction: My partner and I find the idea of spending limited money on tests which students don’t have the resources to take to be overwhelmingly irrational. Fundamentally, standardized testing has encouraged test-taking at the expense of problem solving, without solving any problems itself. It is for this reason that my partner and I negate today’s resolution.
The role standardized testing plays in our national education system has been steadily increasing in the past couple of decades and is a point of strong criticism in our society today. Since the passing of No Child Left Behind in 2002, standardized tests are the most valued tool employed by the federal government to evaluate student achievement and school effectiveness. In three separate articles “Standardized Testing Has Negatively Impacted Public Schools,” by Bobbie Solley, “Study Shows Standardized Testing Is Overwhelming Nation’s Public Schools,” by Lyndsey Layton, and “Disappearing Act: End The Testing Fixation Before It Erases More Meaningful Education,” by Virginia Myers, the authors stress that standardized testing does not reflect