Every school has to meet the required measurements for standardized testing, but why? Texas has put a lot of emphasis on standardized testing. It has become the measure of liability for student’s education. But is standardized testing really the answer? If a school has low academic success, can you actually say they do not meet standards? How can you base a person’s intelligence off a test like that? You simply can’t. It is impossible to measure someone’s academic ability off of a multiple choice test. Standardized testing does not accurately measure the academic success and achievements of a school or student. It does not allow teachers the freedom to teach the way they want to because they are too worried following the TAKS curriculum.
That is why I believe the concept of standardized testing should be re-evaluated. It does not accurately measure a child’s ability to learn, it does not accurately measure the strength of a teacher’s teaching ability, and it does not accurately measure a child’s intelligence, so what good is it? As a high school senior I have taken my fair share of TAKS testing through out the years. Every year I do fine in them, but I see other students struggle. Students who cannot pass their exit level TAKS test are provided the opportunity to take the test more than once. However, some people are just simply not test takers. I have seen my friends not pass their TAKS test and not be able to graduate. One of my friends moved to America her freshman year from Russia. She failed her exit level test and therefore couldn’t graduate. She was an exceptionally bright student, but according to the TEA she was not “qualified” to graduate. She learned English within the first year she was in Texas and within three years was doing upper-level math, now tell me she was not smart. The TAKS test is just a way for public schools to compete on which school is “better.” So what purpose does this test accomplish? In my opinion nothing, but hey I’m eighteen, in high school and had to take them my whole life, so it doesn’t really matter what I think, right? I believe standardized tests do not take into account the way a student processes what they learn. They focus on objectives, objectives that do not prepare us for our future education.
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In Kelya’s Blog #5, she shares that the standardized testing, Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test, should be re-evaluated. She shared a prime example of why changes should be made by giving sharing of a friend that moved to America from Russia her senior year. Despite the fact that she learned a new language in one year and was taking upper-level math classes, she was not “qualified” to graduate based on Texas Education Agency (TEA) standards. Not only do I agree with Kelya’s viewpoint about re-evaluating the standards but during their evaluation, the TAKS test should be discontinued all together. Not only do students have to pass the TAKS test, they are also still required to take “benchmark” tests throughout the year to see how they are progressing. It seems that school has changed from a pure learning environment, to an environment in which the curriculum is geared towards passing the TAKS tests. Whatever happened to learning your ABC’s, 1,2,3’s, shapes and colors in kindergarten. Now, in order for a child to halfway be successful, not only do they need to already know these basics, they better be able to read, write and comprehend the material. My mother retired as a high school counselor for Angleton ISD (outside of Houston). She used to say how said it was when students would come in to officially “drop out” because they were unable to pass the TAKS tests. When she’d inquire about what they planned to do, they’d say, “I don’t know but I know I can’t graduate so I’m withdrawing.” What kind of future will that child have? What will they be able to do without a high school diploma? As I shared in my blog, “Are all Texas students college bound?” explains further that all children are not college bound and are only interested in simply graduating. According to TEA, that will not be possible. Kelya is absolutely correct; the standardized testing should not only be re-evaluated but eliminated.
ReplyDeleteThis post is a response to Blog #5 from Kelya’s blog.
ReplyDeleteWell done. Your blog was very good. I wasn’t a fan of the standardized tests that I had to take both here in Texas, and in Oklahoma where I’m from. I thought that they (the tests) were, to be honest B.S. Now after reading your blog, I’m convinced that I was right! Not only should the TAKS tests be re-evaluated, they should be discontinued! For the TEA to tell your friend (who moved here from Russia, learned English in a year, and doing upper level math), that she is not “qualified” to graduate is just absolutely retarded! She is obviously smart enough to graduate, and excel in college.
The reason you go to school is to learn, not to be taught curriculum. Teachers should have the freedom to teach in their own way, and not be critisized for it. Teachers should not have to worry about their jobs being on the line if they don’t teach the standardized material. You are right; you can’t base a person’s intelligence off a stupid test. Yes those tests should show where a student is at academically, but that same test shouldn’t decide if that student should graduate or not.
I think the TEA should really re-evaluate their policies on which students should be able to graduate, on a more personal level. If someone who has excelled in school but doesn’t do well on the TAKS test should still be allowed to graduate. As opposed to someone who is slacking off in school and failing most of their classes they shouldn’t graduate. Maybe the schools should have the say in who graduates and who doesn’t. They would know the students on a more personal level. But that’s just an idea. Again, well done on your blog.