Since the release of the report by Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in December of 2010 many in the government and community are searching for ways to reform the American education system to give American students the greatest opportunity to succeed. According to the report, American students are not testing as high as other nations in the world (Duncan, 2010). There are many contributing elements that have brought America to her knees in the education system, however, the obsession with standardized testing is found to be one of the most influential downfalls.
Education has always been in existence in one form or another. As each child is born into this world regardless of who or where they are born, life lessons immediately begin. He/she will learn to crawl, walk, and talk by the example and encouragement of others. Although these lessons are basic in the beginning they evolve as the child grows. However, the core learning method of a child does not change. Learning from others, they will watch, listen, and then act for themselves. Thomas Jefferson believed that an education would lead men and women to the ability to be self-governed and become positive contributors to society (Mondale & Patton, 2001). Today, we can see how true this is by the examples of others. Those that are given the opportunity for education are more likely to find jobs and develop skills that not only improve a community, but influence the economic growth of their nation (Ravitch, Cortese, West, Carmichael, Andere, & Munson, 2009, p. 13). On the other hand, if an education is not provided to individuals, they can become a hindrance to that nation’s growth.
With many in government and communities believing that education was the...
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... the ability to govern themselves, if they are to have the ability to contribute to society, and be able to succeed in life, a proper education must be made available to them. Not an education of learning how to take tests, but one of knowledge. An education given to them that teaches them how to apply mathematics in their lives, to use the sciences to understand the world around them, and to be able to read an article, not only to read it, but to be enlightened by its meaning. The Public School is a place that students should want to go, hunger to go. It should not be a place of stress or fear due to an upcoming test. It needs to be a place where all have the freedom and opportunity to learn. Standardized Tests had their moment in time, now the focus needs to be turned to a more in-depth understanding of education by applying what is taught to our everyday lives.
The United States of America has placed low on the educational ladder throughout the years. The cause of such a low ranking is due to such heavy emphasis on standardized testing and not individual student achievement. Although the United States uses standardized testing as a crutch, it is not an effective measure of a student’s ability, a teacher’s competency, or a school’s proficiency.
How standardized are standardized tests? In America, we strive to perfect them as well as give our students an education they deserve but at what cost? Standardized tests have been the easiest way to ultimately evaluate a student against every other student in America. However, standardized tests are not as great as they are made out to be. We need to take a step back and look at the faults of standardized tests. Quite simply: Standardized tests are not standardized.
Standardized testing assesses students, teachers, and the school itself, which puts a great deal of pressure on the students. High scores show that the school is effective in teaching students, while low test scores make teachers and schools look as though they are not teaching the students properly. This is not always the case. There are teachers who do teach students what they need to know to pass the test, but their students are still unprepared. Although teachers try to improve instruction, student performance is still variable to other factors that the school cannot control.
ST (standerdized Tests) Are something every kid in the country Has to do every year. They are supposed to measure how well were doing in school and if we can pass that grade. These test are not accurate in the slightest and we really shouldn't do them heres why.
Accountability, we all need to be accountable for something in our lives whether it is our education, our job, or in our personal lives, but should an 8-year-old third grader have to be accountable for plotting leaf lengths in fraction form on a number line in order to move on to fourth grade? Should sixth graders be accountable for knowing the climate in Moscow or the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 in order to advance to seventh grade? You may think yes but I disagree, there is more to human intelligence that can be measured on a standardized test. Standardized testing is detrimental to the mental health of students and teachers, reduces the necessary time in art, music, recess, lunch, science and social studies, promotes corruption within the
I believe standardized tests are the best thing the state of Texas ever did. This allows the kids that cannot do well on the test understand that maybe college is not for them. It allows for the states resources to be used for the kids that can do well on the test. I mean after all if it was not an accurate way for intelligence to be measured then why would the state force us to do it. Could it be away to hold back the kids that some people believe not worthy of time and money from the state. And these kids that are very smart but do not test well could it cause them undo mental stress. Of course it does. The standardized that are given though out the State of Texas should be abolished because the only thing that it is good for is stressing
Standardized testing has been a controversial subject for many years, thanks to America’s steady decline in the PISA rankings despite an increase in standardized tests. And for good reason, it yields little other results but rankings and can be an unreliable and inaccurate way to evaluate our students and teachers. Contrary to sympathizers’ beliefs, the monetary and educational sacrifices we make to have standardized tests outweigh their advantages.
Banning standardized tests would help students not to fail. Students who do not take standardized tests will come out to not fail, whereas if students take standardized tests they come out to fail the test. Parents and school board members must take role into this because more students are failing the test than more students passing the tests. They need to ban standardized tests within schools for children's education to get
student achievement.The statewide tests should be abolished because if you're a strate A student and you have one bad testing day your grades blow up in your face. All because you had one bad day you are seen as a imperfect student. They stress kids out and caus them to freake out on testing day. Not to mention the cost of getting the test cost a lot up to 1.1 billion dollars and they need to thing is all that money worth putting kids through the tests when they could be using the money to help the school programs get better edgicatinal systems and or supplies.
Moreover, according to the article “Here’s why schools need standardized testing” by Norman R. Augustine, in math and science, American is ranked 52nd worldwide and to address this problem the National Governor's Association with the help of the Council of Chief State School Officers, created a set of new tests. Not only do our school system need to keep giving out the test but, it seem like there will be a whole new set of test to try to improve America in the international ladder of science and math. These new set of exams will not only help establish the students of this nation, but also to show what other counties academics knowledge are at, when they are at the same level. At this point it does make a lot of scene to preserve the test and try to educate the students better so we would not be placed so low in rankings. As one of the richest nations in the world it is unacceptable to be near the bottom of on the international
29 countries did better than the U.S. in math out of 65 countries. Some people are supporters of of standardized testing, while others are not fond of taking standardized tests. I believe standardized tests are unnecessary because test questions are not well written, also they are not the same for every state, and they are graded by underpaid workers.
I do not think that high school students should be required to take or pass a standardized test in order to get their diploma. Another test in order to graduate seems like it would be overkill. If there was another test that high school seniors had to take, their teachers would have to take at least one more day out of their lessons to accommodate. On the other side, many students are already pressured about graduation and what comes after; college admissions and providing for themselves at the top of the list.
Have you ever wanted to take a class that intrigued you, but couldn’t due to the packed schedule full of classes you’re not remotely interested in? I vividly remember feeling bored out of my mind as I sat there in the class, counting down the minutes and wondering when the bell would finally ring. In that moment, even the loud ticking of the clock seemed more interesting than the words that sputtered out of my teacher’s mouth. The educational system has been this way for quite a while now, requiring students to take specific classes because of how they’re meant to shape the youth into a proper, educated person of society. But do these classes really benefit our future, and contribute something to us rather than wasted time? Students in school
Almost every school year students are expected to take standardized tests such as state tests, the SAT, and the ACT. A test qualifies as standardized if it is graded relative to others and relative to a score chosen as the standard for students. The tests can begin as early as third grade, where students scores may determine if they need to be held back, and through all years of high school where scores from tests like the SAT or ACT can determine if a student is accepted into a college. Controversy has formed around standardized testing, especially high stake testing. Some believe that standardized testing is helpful while others agree that the tests should be eliminated. Standardized testing should be abolished from the school curriculum
“If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test, I wouldn't be here. I guarantee you that.” This quote by Michelle Obama illustrates the idea that standardized testing should not have such a large influence on education in America. However, a majority of people are under the impression that standardized tests are an accurate method to measure a person's intellectual ability. I believe that standardized tests have developed into a very critical part of the American education system that is hindering the growth of students and teachers instead of providing a tool that can accurately measure knowledge.