When testing for children's intelligence, I think there has to be a better way. Why can't the grades that a child makes at school be good enough? Why do the state and federal government keep coming up with more standardized tests? I don't really have a good answer for this question. I feel as others do that one or two standardized tests shouldn't determine if a child is intelligent or not! This last school year more standardized tests in math were given to the students in our schools. Most of the students didn't do well because they have never been taught and tested in this manner before. Now teachers have to teach Math in a way unfamiliar to them and the students. Do all have schools have to do this dance for the state and federal governments? Now all students have to show and explain every little detail of a math word problem to the point of ridiculousness. Who comes up with these tests? Who decides what needs to be tested? Is it people that have never taught in school before? I really wonder sometimes.....One thing that changed about out standardized tests this year is that these scores were added and averaged into the children’s overall grade at the end of the school year. I guess it can be a good or bad thing. At least the scores were only a portion of the child’s grade and not a major part, but also it made the children that don’t try very hard on these tests realize they will be penalized for not trying. I just hate that teachers get penalized sometimes for children that don’t try. You can do your best all year teaching, then when it comes to testing, the children that either don’t test well or the children that doesn’t care can then affect a teacher personally in more ways than one. These type tests are going away in a year or two and I’m not sure what will replace them. It could be worse or better!
I read that in Latin America, children don’t even go to school very often or very long. There is no standardized testing either. Teachers make up their own tests for children. They are trying to change things, but up to this point education in Latin America is still lagging way behind. Children in Latin America are some of the least educated children when compared to other nations. Poorly trained teachers and disorganization is part of the problem. Education is lacking in quality and quantity as well. This nation acknowledging failure is the first step in fixing the problems.
Reference
The Economist. (2002, May 9). Cramming them in: More Latin
Americans are being educated, but not
well. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/node/1121601
I am glad I am not the only one that wonders who is coming up with these tests. Sometimes I think in a perfect world, in a perfect classroom these tests would go well, but who has that?! I think these tests can be very stressful for children, especially if they are changing all the time.
ReplyDeleteWhile I respect those who design the tests I cannot help but a lot of times feel furious at what they are doing to the kids first then to the teachers. Despite all the preparations and the rallies for the kids to do their best, we still are not guaranteed that on the testing day the child will be in good condition to take the test. The teacher on the other hand, feels the pressure to perform and for his students to perform, pressures his students to do everything to get high scores. Poor child cannot do anything but absorb all the pressures. It's a horrible thing to do to both parties. On the upside of things, these tests will make lazy teachers do their job of teaching.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the tests can not be the best way to measure intelligence. It puts too much pressure on the teachers and the students to meet a "standard." I never understood why there was so much emphasis placed on standardized testing.
ReplyDeleteFrom since I can remember I don't take test well. I'm one that would rush through it or daydream and when the teacher says you have 2 minutes left would speed through the rest of the testing selection. Would you want to help countries like Latin America or help teach a year in Africa? I also wanted to teach in Japan, but I know they have a better educational system than other countries. I wonder what it would be like to travel and aide in these less fortunate countries. At least they wouldn't have standardized testing.
ReplyDeleteI would love to teach in other parts of the world someday! My youngest child will graduate from high school in six years, so who knows what the future holds. My husband works in a hospital, so maybe we could both go! I'd love to go to the Hawaiian Islands someday too. I've always wanted to travel!
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