When I was a kid, I used to both love and loathe the days spent doing standardized tests. On one hand, we didn't have to have normal class. On the other hand, we had all the pressure of being silent and taking tests all day long. If there is one way that can take any sort of real world application out of education, it is standardized testing; you will never spend eight hours filling in bubbles on random science, math and english questions in the public sector. But perhaps by cutting art funding, Bush is setting people up to fail.
Dozens of studies have shown links between participation in the arts and higher achievement in standardized tests, as well as better grades in a wide range of subjects.
So perhaps we are being set up to fail; what else is wrong with standardized testing.
"To subject colleges to uniform standards is to trivialize what goes on in higher education," said Leon Botstein, president of Bard College. "Excellence comes in many unusual ways. You cannot apply the rules of high-stakes testing in high schools to universities."
One problem with standardized testing is 'teaching towards the test'. In 8th grade, we had to take a standardized test. And do you know what? For a month before the test, we were taught about questions that 'are usually on the test' instead of things that were, well, on the course curriculum. We were being taught things that didn't really matter just so the teachers and the school could point at our scores and say, "Hey, we teach well!" In fact, we were only learning things that pertained to the test instead of things that mattered. After Middle School (or Junior High depending on what you call it), there are still four years of school before college or a job. Standardized testing in college could produce students prepared for filling in bubbles - not actually working. This is dangerous, and a bad idea.
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The teaching to the test is a horrible idea in high school, but in a specialized field of college, it hinders greatly the flow of a class. Keep on fighting.
Leave No Child Behind should be renamed Leave No Test Behind for it hurts the very students it's intended to help. But testing is big business. Neil Bush (brother of Jeb and George W.) is in the testing business in Florida. Which leaves me to ask, "Is high stakes testing helping our students or is it helping the Bush's family business?
NCLB has done nothing FOR students except give their information to the ROTC for recruitment.
I don't know. I see your point that some teachers teach only what will be covered on the test, but on the other hand some schools don't do that. My middle school didn't teach like that and I scored in the top 1% on my math section of the test. Plus, the required state tests for the No Child Left Behind legislation aren't geared toward AP classes. They are given to everyone though. Many people don't even take them serious though. I even throw some of the questions on the science assessment if they go against what I believe in. To me, students shouldn't be forced to take the tests just to show how they are doing, especially if they don't agree with some of the questions.
There's this problem too: when schools get all hyped about passing standardized tests other important subjects get marginalized. If music, geography, economics, or critical thinking aren't on the legislature's agenda, then they won't be on the test, and they will likely get overlooked. It also marginalizes brighter students who could pass those tests with flying colors because it puts so much focus on getting other students up to par. Then there's the autonomy and choice issue: why should Bush, or any politician for that matter, be the one deciding which subjects deserve more attention? Shouldn't that be left up to parents? Shouldn't that be left up to schools themselves? Maybe we should have standardized testing for supermarkets so that everybody in the nation takes home the exact same combination of the four food groups...we could have a federal grocery department that funds supermarkets only if they provide services according to government's mandates...and then we could all pay for it with higher taxes!! Sometimes I want to line up politicians and smack them in the face...
I agree. Somethings I want to too.
I agree. Somethings I want to too. But I don't think they would feel it.