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Shyenne Davis
English 101 sec 6
February 23, 2012
Standardize testing
‘A..B..C..A..A..D, I don’t care about this C..C..C’ this is the normal thought process of a student as he or she fills in bubbles taking one of the many standardize tests issued to schools across the nation. Yet, as the student carelessly filling in bubbles, they don’t realize how much is riding on this single test. For many schools grants given by the government rely on the success of students. Other schools use these tests to determine what kind of classes the student will be taking year, or whether or not they are college material. How can one test determine so much when there “300 forms of human intelligence” (3, Glaser). Standardize testing holds to much value for a test that can’t possibly measure the intelligence of a child. School districts put so much worth on standardize testing casing teachers to teach individual problems instead of whole concepts, students being put in lower classes for not doing well, and grants being lost to schools that really need money, all from a test whose results do not even measure intelligence.
The argument of standardize testing has been going on since 1905 when the first ‘intelligence’ test was produced. Even though our understanding for the brain and how it works and learns has improved yet, the idea of ‘IQ’ testing determining intelligence has not. Since then many people have argued that the test its self does not measure human intelligence
It’s the fact that these tests are geared to different, less sophisticated kind of knowledge. It’s not just the test are ridiculously hard but that they are simply ridiculous. They don’t capture what most of us, upon reflection, would say its means to be a well-educated person. (6,Kohn)
School Districts assume that intelligence is one thing that can be easily measured and put on a scale, rather than a variety of abilities. “Studies have shown that IQ scores can be changed by training, nutrition, or simply by having more friendly people administer the test” (2,Schaeffer). The fact that the outcome of one of these tests can be determined just by sitting next to someone in a good mood, shows how inaccurate these tests truly are. Another reason that standardize testing cannot measure intelligence is because they are mostly multiple choice. “I don’t think there’s any way to build a multiple choice question that allows students to show what they can do with what they know, says Roger Farr, professor of education at Indiana University” ( 4, Kohn). The reason for this is because with multiple choice tests students are only learning to recognize the correct answer, there is getting the right calculations and thought process that have to be done to exclude the other possible choices “Things such as organizing information or construction an argument are pretty much excluded by the format.”(4, Kohn) Some may argue that stanerize testing also has one or two essay questions given. Besides the fact what the students have to write on could put a child with ADHD to sleep in a heartbeat, most of the time they are also ask to know random facts to be able to answer the prompt question correctly. “These questions are often scored on the basis of imitating a contrived model (five paragraph essay) rather than tapping real communication or thinking skills.”(5,Kohn). Proving that using standardize test to determine the intelligence level in a student is is not a accurate partial.
Next, big argument against standardize testing is that teachers are so worried about their students making the school and themselves look good start teaching the test and not concepts. Those pro testing believe that “One could teach well from the curriculum and the test would take care of itself” (Covaleskie,6). Arguing that teachers do not teach any differently knowing there students will be tested, they simply just teach the material, but studies have disproved this argument.
Researchers at the University of Colorado asked a group of fourth-grader teachers to teach a specific task. About half the teachers were told that when they were finished, their students must “preform up to standards” and do well on the test other teachers were simply invited to “facilitate the children’s learning”. The results; students in the “standards” classrooms did not learn the task as well as those in the other group. (15, Kohn)
Proving that when teachers know that their students will be tested and in turn their teaching skills judged they do not teach as effectively.
Essentially, they turned into drill sergeants, removing any opportunity for the students to play an active role in their own learning. When the teachers were controlled in other words they responded by becoming controlling. This makes it harder for real learning to take place. (14, Kohn)
I have gotten stuck right hear and i need more things to say about how students tune out learning when teachers are just drilling it?
I also am wondering if I am allowed to talk about things that i dont really address in my theseis sentance, and do i have a good thises sentence?
Suggestions on more pionts to talk about agianst standerize testing?
English 101 sec 6
February 23, 2012
Standardize testing
‘A..B..C..A..A..D, I don’t care about this C..C..C’ this is the normal thought process of a student as he or she fills in bubbles taking one of the many standardize tests issued to schools across the nation. Yet, as the student carelessly filling in bubbles, they don’t realize how much is riding on this single test. For many schools grants given by the government rely on the success of students. Other schools use these tests to determine what kind of classes the student will be taking year, or whether or not they are college material. How can one test determine so much when there “300 forms of human intelligence” (3, Glaser). Standardize testing holds to much value for a test that can’t possibly measure the intelligence of a child. School districts put so much worth on standardize testing casing teachers to teach individual problems instead of whole concepts, students being put in lower classes for not doing well, and grants being lost to schools that really need money, all from a test whose results do not even measure intelligence.
The argument of standardize testing has been going on since 1905 when the first ‘intelligence’ test was produced. Even though our understanding for the brain and how it works and learns has improved yet, the idea of ‘IQ’ testing determining intelligence has not. Since then many people have argued that the test its self does not measure human intelligence
It’s the fact that these tests are geared to different, less sophisticated kind of knowledge. It’s not just the test are ridiculously hard but that they are simply ridiculous. They don’t capture what most of us, upon reflection, would say its means to be a well-educated person. (6,Kohn)
School Districts assume that intelligence is one thing that can be easily measured and put on a scale, rather than a variety of abilities. “Studies have shown that IQ scores can be changed by training, nutrition, or simply by having more friendly people administer the test” (2,Schaeffer). The fact that the outcome of one of these tests can be determined just by sitting next to someone in a good mood, shows how inaccurate these tests truly are. Another reason that standardize testing cannot measure intelligence is because they are mostly multiple choice. “I don’t think there’s any way to build a multiple choice question that allows students to show what they can do with what they know, says Roger Farr, professor of education at Indiana University” ( 4, Kohn). The reason for this is because with multiple choice tests students are only learning to recognize the correct answer, there is getting the right calculations and thought process that have to be done to exclude the other possible choices “Things such as organizing information or construction an argument are pretty much excluded by the format.”(4, Kohn) Some may argue that stanerize testing also has one or two essay questions given. Besides the fact what the students have to write on could put a child with ADHD to sleep in a heartbeat, most of the time they are also ask to know random facts to be able to answer the prompt question correctly. “These questions are often scored on the basis of imitating a contrived model (five paragraph essay) rather than tapping real communication or thinking skills.”(5,Kohn). Proving that using standardize test to determine the intelligence level in a student is is not a accurate partial.
Next, big argument against standardize testing is that teachers are so worried about their students making the school and themselves look good start teaching the test and not concepts. Those pro testing believe that “One could teach well from the curriculum and the test would take care of itself” (Covaleskie,6). Arguing that teachers do not teach any differently knowing there students will be tested, they simply just teach the material, but studies have disproved this argument.
Researchers at the University of Colorado asked a group of fourth-grader teachers to teach a specific task. About half the teachers were told that when they were finished, their students must “preform up to standards” and do well on the test other teachers were simply invited to “facilitate the children’s learning”. The results; students in the “standards” classrooms did not learn the task as well as those in the other group. (15, Kohn)
Proving that when teachers know that their students will be tested and in turn their teaching skills judged they do not teach as effectively.
Essentially, they turned into drill sergeants, removing any opportunity for the students to play an active role in their own learning. When the teachers were controlled in other words they responded by becoming controlling. This makes it harder for real learning to take place. (14, Kohn)
I have gotten stuck right hear and i need more things to say about how students tune out learning when teachers are just drilling it?
I also am wondering if I am allowed to talk about things that i dont really address in my theseis sentance, and do i have a good thises sentence?
Suggestions on more pionts to talk about agianst standerize testing?
