1. Being required to teach to the test.
2. Not having my own students in my testing group.
3. Children sitting for four hours or more without moving, talking, interacting. Teachers unable to look at computer, read, grade, or do anything productive during testing time.
4. Field questions on tests (questions that don't count that are put on the test to determine if they should be "real" questions on the next test).
5. Eating lunch at 1:40 instead of our normal time. Crazy schedule!
6. Students thinking the standardized test is the end of the school year although we have six weeks of instruction left.
7. The company that profits from generating the test itself.
8. Companies that profit from creating practice testing materials. (millions)
9. Non-educators creating and scoring the test.
10. The stress both teachers and students feel.
11. Paperwork nightmare - keeping up with over 1,300 test booklets and answer sheets and keeping them in order.
12. Kids are all different, but they have to take the same test.
13. A four hour test is only a snapshot of a student's ability. It could be a good day, bad day, indifferent day.
There's got to be a better way!
Link up with the new Thursday Thirteen!
I just learned a lot about it. My dd came home and told me a bit about it, but I didn't understand much.
ReplyDelete#6 is a bugger wow such a rough time of year take a deep breath and only do what you can do
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. We need to rethink this whole testing craze. There's got to be a better way to assess learning.
ReplyDeletehttp://otherworlddiner.blogspot.com/2015/04/at-writers-conference-suggestions-for.html
My step daughter took the test last week after spring break. I didn't understand stand it we had a packet of that for homework untop of another packet to do. It was crazy. She told me it was a test to see if she can pass third grade. I never head of that but she is smart i do know that. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteI remember taking one back in 8th grade, and you're right about exigent circumstances influencing how a student does. We had rude college students living above us who woke us in the middle of the night.
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, I was tired and did not do well, and it almost got me kicked out of an advanced HS English course three years later -- I was made to take another test that I aced in order to stay in the overcrowded class. I'm talking about Little Free Libraries this week.
My daughter took her tests this week, and she was told what grade level she's in and all that, but what good does that do? Is it supposed to help teach her more next year? It just seemed like bragging rights for the parents of the high performing children!
ReplyDelete