Does any good come from all this state testing?

[teacher5]

:confused:As we get ready to give the NYS SS Test next week, I started to ponder this question. As my students now walk around with a 3-inch metal ring on which are almost two hundred index cards of key terms, names, places, dates, and events, which they have memorized; I wonder if they truly understand what they have learned. This process of learning these cards has been a proven method to insure that a student will get 30 or more multiple choice items correct out of 35 on Part I, and therefore goes into Part II with a good cushion to success. By the way success is measured in getting a 3 or a 4 out of 4. We have also trained the kids to answer the constructed response questions correctly, and prepared them to make a planning page prior to writing the DBQ with more details than just from the constructed responses. I guess we have taught them to locate relavant information to answer a question. I guess we have taught them to look more closely at the text, chart, map, graph, diary entry, etc. But I still wonder if they really understand what they are reading and writing. During the past few years, I have taught them how to compose the introduction using the text from the task and background data. I have also taught them to write a "sum it up sentence" at the end of each paragraph. So, I guess we have learned to summarize our thoughts without repeating the details. We have even learned to write a conclusion. These are some good elements of sequential writing. But do they truly understand what the topic was all about and how it impacted US history? I am hoping with the election of a new president, that may be, just may be, someone in our government who taught school in the last 5 years gets in a position of power that will change some aspects of this NCLB law, and devise standards of measure that allows a student to understand what they are learning, not via a formatted approach. What do you think?

[Spectre]

I can't say it any better than you did, teacher5.

For me, it's come down to this:

Are we teaching children to pass tests or are we teaching them to be life long learners? Which is more important? :idontknow:

I would really like someone in "authority" to answer this.

I don't mind "accountability." We all should be accountable to someone or something. But there has to be a better way than relying solely on the standardized test. :angry:

[seastarmath]

It makes me feel so much better to hear someone else voice my concerns. I have sixth grade math students who have passed the state test but who can't do simple subtraction, make change, or identify place value to the thousands. I think putting education into the hands of the politicians and taking control away from local boards has really hurt.

[irish223]

Does any good come from all this state testing?

I believe the publishers and scorers of the tests, as well as textbook publishers, would answer, "YES!"

I agree that all the reliance on standardized test scores has hurt education, and I also hope that a new administration will rework NCLB.

I just wish that every politician could spend a week in our shoes, in our schools and classrooms, teaching our children. (I'd like to extend that invitation to the admin in my district, too, but that's another story!)

[muinteoir]

Actually, I think some good has come out of all the testing.

While I agree with everything that has been said, I also believe that accountability & testing has forced educators and the educational system to look at ALL children.

Too much potential has been allowed to 'fall through the cracks' .
Too many schools schools were run for reasons other than education.
Too many teachers who should not be in a classroom were hurting children.

I'm not remotely suggesting that testing has solved these problems, but it has shined a spotlight on them. And I think that is a good thing.

Our next step, is to find a way to address the legitimate issues in schools without tearing down what does work.