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Miranda Smith
Assignment #4
February 22, 2012
English 101
Section 6
Standardized Tests Creating More Problems then Benefits
Students always become nervous when thinking about tests. Especially when it is a test that has the fate of your future in its outcome. Tests are only supposed to implement a certain amount of stress, not to the point where it may cause problems for the student or the teachers. Standardized test implement way too much stress and problems for school systems and for the students themselves. For tests such as the SAT and ACT knowing that you basically only have one chance to get the best score possible; that this score will decide on what schools you get into and possible jobs in the future is more then a junior in high school should be worried about. With tests such that students in high school need to pass for graduating it is a lot to think about. Even with the large amounts of stress that these tests apply the tactics and systems that these tests use do not benefit the students. Standardized tests are not beneficial for student’s education and are not testing the student’s actual knowledge.
In Kohn article he describes how standardized tests around the states have been changed and completely mutated. That instead of benefiting the students themselves and our school systems they are degrading these aspects (Kohn, 1). History itself is not represented by how well individuals did on standardized tests, but their ability to problem solve and learn. The United States of America used to be a top contender for education but recently in history it has come to the fact that we are lagging behind. Nowhere else in the world are there tests such as these that create so much pressure and public problems.
“Our children are tested to an extent that is unprecedented in our history and unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Rather than seeing this as odd, or something that needs to be defended, many of us have come to take it for granted.”(Kohn, 1)
The average person does not tend to question whey these tests are in place, and what exactly is on the tests. If these tests are state issued then usually parents don’t really think about how these tests are being handled. They may understand that they put their kids through immense amount of stress and pressure but that they do not critically address what information their child is being tested on.
These tests are causing problems throughout the states. When causing stress with student’s performance tends to decline, especially high levels of stress. Not only is there pressure for the students to produce high scores, but also for the teachers to have their students reflect positively on their teaching methods and schools. “High-stakes testing may turn teachers against students.” (Kohn, 18). When stakes are high, pressure increases which also increases stress. Teachers may not realize the level of pressure they are putting on their students and start not necessarily teaching the material and wanting the students to learn but instead teaching the test. These pressures can force the students to not perform well based on anxiety and that these pressures may compel teachers and principles that have a love of teaching to leave the system due to the new level of stress (Kohn, 4)
My other sources will include an article by David Sadker, and Karen Zittleman titled Test Anxiety: Are Students Failing Tests- Or Are Tests Failing Students?
Second Source: Is a segment by NPR titled Ravitch: Standardized Testing Undermines Teaching
Also the other article we read in class by Covaleskie. I am going to interpret why he thinks that standardized tests are beneficial, and then dispute his claims. My outside sources talk about the teaching itself and how it has been changed which relates to Kohn and how he describes what needs to be done for teaching. I will also discuss how standardized tests are manipulating the school systems and causing teachers and students not to perform well.
Assignment #4
February 22, 2012
English 101
Section 6
Standardized Tests Creating More Problems then Benefits
Students always become nervous when thinking about tests. Especially when it is a test that has the fate of your future in its outcome. Tests are only supposed to implement a certain amount of stress, not to the point where it may cause problems for the student or the teachers. Standardized test implement way too much stress and problems for school systems and for the students themselves. For tests such as the SAT and ACT knowing that you basically only have one chance to get the best score possible; that this score will decide on what schools you get into and possible jobs in the future is more then a junior in high school should be worried about. With tests such that students in high school need to pass for graduating it is a lot to think about. Even with the large amounts of stress that these tests apply the tactics and systems that these tests use do not benefit the students. Standardized tests are not beneficial for student’s education and are not testing the student’s actual knowledge.
In Kohn article he describes how standardized tests around the states have been changed and completely mutated. That instead of benefiting the students themselves and our school systems they are degrading these aspects (Kohn, 1). History itself is not represented by how well individuals did on standardized tests, but their ability to problem solve and learn. The United States of America used to be a top contender for education but recently in history it has come to the fact that we are lagging behind. Nowhere else in the world are there tests such as these that create so much pressure and public problems.
“Our children are tested to an extent that is unprecedented in our history and unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Rather than seeing this as odd, or something that needs to be defended, many of us have come to take it for granted.”(Kohn, 1)
The average person does not tend to question whey these tests are in place, and what exactly is on the tests. If these tests are state issued then usually parents don’t really think about how these tests are being handled. They may understand that they put their kids through immense amount of stress and pressure but that they do not critically address what information their child is being tested on.
These tests are causing problems throughout the states. When causing stress with student’s performance tends to decline, especially high levels of stress. Not only is there pressure for the students to produce high scores, but also for the teachers to have their students reflect positively on their teaching methods and schools. “High-stakes testing may turn teachers against students.” (Kohn, 18). When stakes are high, pressure increases which also increases stress. Teachers may not realize the level of pressure they are putting on their students and start not necessarily teaching the material and wanting the students to learn but instead teaching the test. These pressures can force the students to not perform well based on anxiety and that these pressures may compel teachers and principles that have a love of teaching to leave the system due to the new level of stress (Kohn, 4)
My other sources will include an article by David Sadker, and Karen Zittleman titled Test Anxiety: Are Students Failing Tests- Or Are Tests Failing Students?
Second Source: Is a segment by NPR titled Ravitch: Standardized Testing Undermines Teaching
Also the other article we read in class by Covaleskie. I am going to interpret why he thinks that standardized tests are beneficial, and then dispute his claims. My outside sources talk about the teaching itself and how it has been changed which relates to Kohn and how he describes what needs to be done for teaching. I will also discuss how standardized tests are manipulating the school systems and causing teachers and students not to perform well.
