There is a monster waiting for us as students in the spring. Its creators have disguised it so that however we may prepare for it, we will be outdone by its clever industry. We have been constantly told as kids that “it’s not all about the grade” and “Really try to understand what’s being taught” yet we still see some kids go out of their way to avoid taking tests and maybe even cheat because they feel unprepared.
According to www.poilcymic.com it’s found that in one Midwest school district, test preparation and testing consumed 19 full school days this proves that it is all about the grade. Teachers are graded through these standardized tests; it’s not only a reflection on the student but the whole staff. But how is that fair to anyone? Not everyone learns the same, and some kids don’t test well. It has been a proven fact that a student with a 3.7 grade point average may score ridiculously below average on a standardized test, this clearly shouldn’t mean they haven’t learned anything, should it? The burden comes as no surprise to teachers and administrators. Nor to the students who are the victims of this overload, or to some parents who are faced with stressed children.
Although test results are only one measure of student achievement, they have become increasingly important in assessing student learning. In 2009-2010 Colorado used the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) to test students in reading, writing and mathematics in grades 3 through 10, and in science in grades 5, 8 and 10 stated by www.greatschools.org.
The children know it’s coming. They have encountered it every year since third grade, and every year it has taken parts of their souls. And not just in the spring. Every day in class, the children are asked which answer is right, although the “smarter” children realize that sometimes there are parts of several answers that could be right. The torture of these standardized test and constant stress must end. We will have to accept that every student is different and cannot achieve their rightful grade due to their incapability to perform in the same way as their peers.
