...I believe that the greatest challenge schools are facing today is the stress of standardized testing. Standardized tests were put in place to set higher goals for schools and their teachers. This idea is a positive one, but not when it puts too much pressure on administrators, teachers, and students. The scores schools achieve on these exams determine how much government funding they are able to receive. This only leads to a harsh and stressful learning environment. The multiple choice layout of these tests cannot determine what a child knows or what kind of education he or she is obtaining. Teachers are beginning to base their lesson plans around these tests and taking extra classroom time to discuss correct test-taking skills. This change results in the loss of creativity and variety that makes learning enjoyable for students, as well as their teachers. Many schools are removing art and music classes from their curriculum to create more time for the subjects students are going to be tested on. The additional time added to cover test material takes away time for hands-on activities that involve critical thinking skills. Some educational reformers suggest asking questions on standardized tests that can be answered without limits, so each child can express him or herself....
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...Intelligence. The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. For generations it is believed to be the key factor that determines how well one does in school. We take SATs, NWEAs, ACTs--what do they really show? Do these tests accurately measure the brain power of each individual that takes them? No, they don't. The Council of Great Schools conducted a study two years ago to see how much time students spend on standardized tests. They concluded that about 112 standardized tests will be taken between pre-K and senior year of high school. This is between 20-25 hours of testing every year. This study did not take into account the time students take preparing for them or the time they spend taking regular classroom assessments. We, as humans,...
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...There are advantages to standardized testing as a whole school instead of each individual. Standardized testing evaluates what is being taught to kids and compares the test scores with other schools. With the standardized test, the states can improve their schools by telling what to teach and what things to improve on. By doing this, the board of education can give equal chance to all students being taught for better future. If the board of education does not make school take standardized testing, then some schools will be teaching different things than other schools. This could be really unfair to students because then some students wouldn't have to work hard as some students in different schools do. With standardizing testing, all students...
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...Students take twenty-twenty five hours yearly of standardized tests and that's not factoring in the practice tests and class.This essay will discuss how there are too many state mandated tests, how the tests are too long ,and . I feel that test should be cut and good tests take their place. First, there are too many mandated tests .The average amount of tests a student will take over their school career is one hundred and twelve .A school in California which happens to be the 4th largest school in the nation cut their 300 yearly tests down to 10 .The things the tests go over overlaps meaning they go over something over and over again. Second, This paragraph will talk about how the tests are too long.They take up about 20-25 hours of Testing...
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...Standardized testing is commonly used today, and it is especially used in the United States. Tests, in general, evaluate what teachers teach their students over the school year. Standardized tests are used by nearly all states and colleges. Colleges check the scores students receive to determine if they would be willing to accept the student. This is partially why some states require these tests. The states that do use them require that all students attending public schools take these tests. These tests are scored, and the states will use these scores evaluate their schools. The states have become dictatorial in determining what subjects need to be taught. If the subjects are not on the standardized tests, the states will not support those...
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...Testing in schools has always been common; teachers need a way to arbitrate if students are understanding and obtaining the knowledge being taught. However, a different type of test is becoming prominent in school systems. Standardized testing, examinations administered and scored in a standard manner (7), are taking over the school systems. Standardized tests administered to students are either aptitude tests or achievement tests. Aptitude tests predict student’s performance, like the common ACT and SAT that colleges frequently use; achievement tests evaluate teacher and school effectiveness (7). Although standardized tests are becoming significant in school curriculum, the results do not accurately represent student or teacher abilities....
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...Standardized Stress Maker Schools in the united states should get rid of standardized testing. Standardized testing keeps students from learning, puts stress on the teachers, and it is a useless and costly tool used by the education system in the united states to determine what school get what amount of funding. A lot can be said about what needs to be changed to make standardized testing better but the only thing that can make it better would be to get rid of them all together. One reason standardized testing should be disbanded is because it restricts what the students can be taught. Teachers spend most of their time in class going over what may or not be covered in standardized tests at the end of the year. This means that students aren’t learning anything besides what they need to in order to pass these tests. This may not seem like that much of a problem when it comes time to take the test but it could cause problems further down the road and the students are looking for jobs. At this point putting down high school graduate on your resume just means you passed a test it doesn’t mean you know or have learned anything....
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...at a school, and starts noticing loads of confidential boxes being delivered, “Smarties” candies and “Smart Pencils” being distributed to students, and last but not least; witnessing that the stress of the school is rising…You know it’s testing time. This all happens at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. Many tests take 1 to 2 days when others, have a duration of 2-3 weeks. As an employee of an elementary school, I have had many years of preparation and participation of such events. All employees must sign affidavits before administration of tests occur, and all materials are delivered and picked up on a scheduled timeframe. “Standardized Tests are a type of exam that assess the student’s capability on the...
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...A large part of the American public school system relies on testing in order to test students’ knowledge and learning, but how accurate are these tests in measuring learning and are these test beneficial to learning? These standardized tests may actually do more harm, than good to students’ education. The first problem with standardized testing is that they only measure whether a student can perform well on a test on one specific day. “High-stakes tests are unfair to many students. Some students simply do not test well. Many students are affected by test anxiety or do not show their learning well on a standardized test, resulting in inaccurately lower scores”(Fairtest). Some students may be better test takers than others and therefore may...
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...Should public schools continue standardized testing? The United States government implemented the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA), signed into law on January 8, 2002 by President George W. Bush (US Government Printing Office, 2002). This Act requires states to develop assessments in basic skills. In order to receive federal school funding, states must give these assessments to all students at select grade levels. The Act does not assert a national achievement standard. Each state develops its own standards (US Government Printing Office, 2002). Since the creation of this act, various debates challenge the practical use of the standardized tests. The debate presented for this paper is an argument, “Should public schools continue standardized testing?” The favorable arguments are that the standardized tests are fair, backed by parents, improves the quality of the curriculum, and the usage of standardized tests outside of the public education system. The arguments against standardized testing are stereotyping poor performing students, testing anxiety, low morale with teachers, and basing teacher evaluations on student performance. Additionally, ethical, moral and legal issues are identified in relation to standardized testing and their effects on high-stakes testing. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the given arguments, both for and against standardized testing from different sources and to conclude with a consensus of the arguments with the authors of this...
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...Have you ever realized how many standardized test we take from Pre K to 12th grade? From grades Pre K to 12th grade an average student takes about 112 exams. Every year students take about 8-9 standardized test. For example Knox Middle School takes Istep and Nwea three times a year to see what the students are learning and what the teachers are teaching. The government needs to modify these numbers of standardized test because it is quality not quantity. This essay will discuss that the government should modify standardized test because we take too many, stresses out teachers and students, and the tests take up too much teaching time. First this paragraph will discuss how students take too many standardized test. On average a student takes...
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...A Position Against Standardized Testing I am a mother of two elementary school age kids, Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) board member, and actively involved in my children’s education. I have often asked why there is so much emphasis on standardized tests. Growing up, we took standardized tests but there was no real preparation work or stress over the test. We didn’t even know until the week prior that we had testing coming up. Back then teachers taught and engaged their students in learning all subjects because they loved teaching. We learned not only what was minimally acceptable to pass a standardized test, but much more beyond the testing requirements. I am very interested about high stake standardized testing in our public school system because it seems my children’s curriculum is solely based on concepts they need to learn to pass their standardized test. Rather than teaching to our children who are eager to learn how to be higher-level thinkers, we seem to be teaching them to accept a minimal standard and simply learn how to pass a test. Today, I see our children being given pretests and benchmark tests to see how well they will do on the standardized test. I witness teachers under pressure to make sure they get the curriculum in prior to the test and students being drilled repeatedly for the standardized tests. Our children come home stressed and concerned because in some states, these tests can determine if you are from moving to the next grade level,...
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...Effectiveness of Standardized Testing Ashley Norris Com 220 September 16, 2012 Katie Boswell Effectiveness of Standardized Testing Hayden, a second grader, always has had trouble taking tests. From the very first test that he took in kindergarten until now, Hayden has collapsed under the pressure of the test and has never performed at a standard that was acceptable to himself or his educators. Situations such as this one are far too common in our schools today. Many of the children, such as Hayden, have fallen through the cracks in our classrooms. This has caused many people to ask themselves what is going on and how can things be changed. For years, educators have relied on standardized testing to provide them with information on a student’s progress throughout the year. However, much has changed since standardized testing was introduced. Standardized testing no longer accurately depicts a student’s progress in school; therefore, other forms of testing must be implemented to give all students a fair chance. Throughout history educators have used standardized testing as the main tool to predict how our educational system is working. These tests have been used as a way to assess what a student has learned throughout the school year and to inform teachers and school officials about how the curriculum is working. In many cases, the tests are administered closer to the end of the school year. By doing this, it allows the teachers and school officials to assess...
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...Standardized Testing Should Not Take Place in Kindergarten Kourtney C. Robles-Stewart Rasmussen College English Composition G124/ENC1101 Section 04 Teresa Kelly March 4, 2016 Abstract Standardized testing in kindergarten has become a very controversial topic across the nation. While there may be advantages of implementing standardized tests in schools, the disadvantages seem to be never-ending. The following paper will analyze the effects standardized testing can have on children of all ages with an emphasis on kindergarteners. It will look into the factors that impact test scores and how the tests compare to normal classroom activities and behaviors. A brief look into the role the United States government has played in standardized testing across the nation will also be covered. Standardized Testing Should Not Take Place in Kindergarten It’s a normal Monday morning when a mother is getting her, normally, very eager five-year-old ready for school. Her daughter has never missed a day and has always been overly-excited to get back to class after the weekend off, however, today is not the same. The little girl who once loved going to school to see her teacher and friends, now wants nothing to do with it, she simply doesn’t want to go. Her reasoning, “it’s not fun”. Unfortunately, this scenario is becoming more common across the nation as curriculum modifications are being made by educators to prepare young students for standardized tests. Since "No Child Left Behind"...
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...Standardized Testing Should Not Be The Standard “If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test, I wouldn't be here. I guarantee you that”(Michelle Obama). Standardized testing has become the go-to way to test a students intellectual ability for years. Most of the test consists of several hours worth of multiple choice questions. Unfortunately, the scores off of one test determine a child’s entire future. Standard testing create stress and put students in unfair situations. Standardized testing is not an accurate measure of the educational expreness. Due to the fact that, standardized testing causes such a huge impact in students and teachers lives, they will do anything they can to improve their score. It is...
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