Persuasive Essay On Standardized Testing

Standardized testing has become a norm for students across the nation. Since elementary school, we are defined by the results: numbers. If your score was below a certain number, you were not proficient, or in other words, not intelligent enough. This trend of demanded tests continues for the rest of schooling, constantly stressed out by the myriad of tests we are required to take. A simple number tells us what we are, and what we can and cannot do. However, there seems to be a problem with this method, standardized tests do not really measure a student’s intelligence or capabilities. Intelligence doesn’t mean how well someone’s memory is, or how fast they can answer a question. It shouldn’t be. Our definition of intelligence has been shaped

For example, results on the Iowa Assessments suggest that you are below proficient so you need “help” in that area. Whereas another student receives a higher number and is referred as “smart”. Did they consider how much stress was involved or problems that one may be experiencing outside the school environment? Standardized testing causes a heavy amount of stress because you are told that the scores will be used to place you in courses, based on how much they think you know. Additionally, the tests are long and stretch for hours, increasing the existing stress. Now if they tests are demanded annually, or for a long period of time, the student loses interest. This may be because they get tired of the stressing of teachers on their performance, and sometimes they mean nothing to them. For example, the Iowa Assessments offered from second grade to eleventh grade. Students will stop caring or the tests will be too important to them,and that stress overrides their brain which results in poor

However, these tests actually deteriorate the true meaning of education. It confines students to think a certain way about themselves and about education in general. Education is crucial to success because the more you know, the better you’ll be prepared. Time is eliminated from actual learning by focusing on these inaccurate tests. All these factors and emphasis on testing ruins the educational experience for students, not allowing them to expand themselves and be happier. It limits them to stress and confinement where students say “I suck at math, I’m not going to take Pre-Calc next