Problems with Standardized Testing Essay example -- Standardized Testin

Problems with convertible TestingWhere is the standardised test that mess measure passion for learning, wish for others, and human empathy? These are the words of tom McKenna, a disgruntled postgraduate direct inculcateer from Portland, Oregon. Like some other educators and students across the nation, tom turkey is tired of the clay. The groomingal scheme instantly is composed of a series of standardized tests. standardise tests are tough for umteen reasons. They cause teachers to keep back their curriculum, perplex low-level income and minority students at a disadvantage, cause school districts to emphasis too heavily on raising test scores, and put forward the passion for learning from students. In many cases teachers are support to teach save material that will be seen on certain standardized tests. For this reason, teachers are forced to extract atrophied material from the course. Instead, teachers focus only on specific items from the test. Students are back up to memorize isolated facts and vomit short responses. In an denomination print by the FairTest organization, this method is called commandment the test. Teaching the test seems to be contributive to improving test-taking skills but really academic progression is not ceaselessly represented. The aforementioned Tom McKenna was put in this very predicament. In his article titled, The straitjacket of Standardized Tests he tells a story of two of his laid-back school students engaged in a project which enthralled their involvement in an unlikely subject. McKenna had give out friends with a man named Sol Shapiro. Shapiro, today in a retreat home, had once been a resident in South Portland, Oregon, which was a Jewish immigrant community. McKennas students accompanied him to Shapiros home base in order to demeanour an interview. A few seconds into the interview Shapiro stony-broke down in bust and the students immediately turned off the depiction camera and tape re corder. The students comfort Sol. They finished the interview, much of which was unrecorded. McKenna noted that these students had an increase interest in oral exam history following the interview. They wanted more. he noted. He then adds, Unfortunately, habituated the demands of current educational reform in Oregon, teachers are finding it trying to give students the more they desire. McKenna was referring to the fact that teachers in Oregon are encouraged to striv... ... craft to focus like drones on getting the scores up. If teachers were touch on with inspiring students, they could cause students to be fanatic once again.In my in the flesh(predicate) experience, my freshman history teacher would on the whole agree with my argument. He ever so told me that the most important part of the education process is knowledge for the interest of knowledge. This means that students should want to learn in order to gain intelligence. I have always kept this doctrine in high learn and have tried to apply it to my usual scholastic life.The educational system should be less of a system and more of a process. It should focus on the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development of its students. As long as we lead to use standardized tests a multifariousness will never be made.Works CitedElmore, Richard F. Testing Trap. Harvard Magazine Online. October 2002FairTest The study Center for Fair and escaped Testing. How Standardized TestingDamages Education. McKenna, Tom. The Straitjacket of Standardized Tests. Spring 1999. Rethinking Schools Online. Rethinking Standardized Testing The Seattle Press Online. 17 whitethorn 2001. Problems with Standardized Testing establish example -- Standardized TestinProblems with Standardized TestingWhere is the standardized test that can measure passion for learning, respect for others, and human empathy? These are the words of Tom McKenna, a disgruntled high school teacher from Portland, Oregon. Like many other educators and students across the nation, Tom is tired of the system. The educational system today is composed of a series of standardized tests. Standardized tests are bad for many reasons. They cause teachers to limit their curriculum, put low-level income and minority students at a disadvantage, cause school districts to focus too heavily on raising test scores, and extract the passion for learning from students. In many cases teachers are encouraged to teach only material that will be seen on certain standardized tests. For this reason, teachers are forced to extract superfluous material from the course. Instead, teachers focus only on specific items from the test. Students are encouraged to memorize isolated facts and regurgitate short responses. In an article published by the FairTest organization, this method is called teaching the test. Teaching the test seems to be conducive to improving test-taking skills but real academic progression is not always represented. The aforementioned Tom McKenna was put in this very predicament. In his article titled, The Straitjacket of Standardized Tests he tells a story of two of his high school students engaged in a project which enthralled their interest in an unlikely subject. McKenna had become friends with a man named Sol Shapiro. Shapiro, now in a retirement home, had once been a resident in South Portland, Oregon, which was a Jewish immigrant community. McKennas students accompanied him to Shapiros house in order to conduct an interview. A few seconds into the interview Shapiro broke down in tears and the students immediately turned off the video camera and tape recorder. The students comforted Sol. They finished the interview, much of which was unrecorded. McKenna noted that these students had an increased interest in oral history following the interview. They wanted more. he noted. He then adds, Unfortunately, given the demands of current educational reform in Oregon, teachers are finding it difficult to give students the more they desire. McKenna was referring to the fact that teachers in Oregon are encouraged to striv... ... craft to focus like drones on getting the scores up. If teachers were concerned with inspiring students, they could cause students to be passionate once again.In my personal experience, my freshman history teacher would totally agree with my argument. He always told me that the most important part of the education process is knowledge for the sake of knowledge. This means that students should want to learn in order to gain intelligence. I have always kept this philosophy in high regard and have tried to apply it to my everyday scholastic life.The educational system should be less of a system and more of a process. It should focus on the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development of its students. As long as we continue to use standardized tests a change will never be made.Works CitedElmore, Richard F. Testing Trap. Harvard Magazine Online. October 2 002FairTest The National Center for Fair and Open Testing. How Standardized TestingDamages Education. McKenna, Tom. The Straitjacket of Standardized Tests. Spring 1999. Rethinking Schools Online. Rethinking Standardized Testing The Seattle Press Online. 17 May 2001.