Testing Is A Necessary Evil

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Standardized testing is a necessary evil. We know is important in education, and is needed for funding, but we also know how testing does not always help our students’ education, and it came sometimes hinder their learning. For this article review I wanted to focus on testing, since it is what is currently consuming my next two weeks at school. As I grew up, I viewed testing as something we needed to do, especially when I was in college, but I was never a big fan of testing, I was never good at testing. Now as a teacher, I have to administer the MAP test, and it is hard to teach my students the importance of the test. I think about how our 3rd graders will be testing the rest of their academic careers. They will test every year in various subjects, SATs, high school exit exams, and then college exams. Even after college, some students will be testing to get job opportunities. Educators do not like testing, but we also know they are needed in education. This is where principals can play a role.
Principals have a big influence on how standardized testing in perceived in their schools. They also have influence on what teachers do with the test scores. The best thing is for principals to let teachers know that tests are important, but they do not dictate how we should teach our students. Test scores should help us drive our teaching, not teach to the test. This what has happened in many schools across our country.
I have personally worked in schools where the principal does not let teachers have recess so they can continue teaching to the test. I understand principals have a lot of pressure, but they need to make decisions based on student interest and not the interest of the adults. I also see school offer tutoring only for the gra...

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...s to using the test scores to judge, blame, and point fingers at others. The principal has a big influence on changing their school’s mindset of standardize testing. If the principal works with teachers on analyzing the results to guide teaching, staff development, and setting a collaborating environment, they can use standardize testing to help our schools. The principal should also ensure teachers don’t teach to a test, and to also celebrate results with their students. This part is important. We do not acknowledge students who tried their best and improved drastically in standardize testing. What happens is we go into summer break, send the results over the summer or at beginning of the year, but we do not talk to individual students about how they did and why it is important. In the end, if the principal can change the mindset, schools would see better results.

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