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Learning Without Tests

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Some teachers are now choosing to provide a different educational experience for their students – a test free environment. Since there are many children and teenagers who suffer from anxiety related to tests, it makes sense to provide another way to learn for these special circumstances. Teachers can choose from a variety of ways to present the information.

By choosing to ask the students to give a presentation of the information learned, instead of having to answer multiple choice questions or write several essays on the spot, many students feel that the pressure is alleviated so they are able to focus and better understand. If the class is longer, students might be able to complete a project during school hours, instead of going home to work. Some teachers might worry that the assignments will be completed with the assistance of parents, siblings, or even the internet. Having the assignment be completed during the school day will take away any chance for this problem. There was a lot of talk in the news about the “No Child Left Behind Act” and how ineffective standardized testing can be to determine progress and learning.

The curriculum can still be presented effectively, so school administration won’t need to worry about these students not being ready for the next year of school. There are now even some colleges that are offering test-free courses, so removing testing from the classroom won’t take away preparation from the students. Teachers who choose this method might have a bigger job ahead of them, when ensuring all information is presented and understood. For those who test poorly, this is a great option to succeed in school.

Filed Under: Education, General Tagged With: , ,

Grading Our Schools: America’s Standardized Tests Aren’t Performing

Children growing up in America today are familiar with SATs, or standardized tests that measure student performance on basic educational standards. These standardized tests are not only used to measure student performance, but also measure school performance. Depending on student performance, the school will be evaluated for funding, additional tutoring, an enhanced curriculum, or the possibility of new or more teachers. Those multiple choice questions on SATs can really help or hurt a school. Are standardized tests really the best way to measure school performance?

In early America, standardize tests consisted of written essays and oral exams. It wasn’t until the early 1900s when multiple-choice standardized tests were introduced. Multiple-choice questions helped to streamline the process of test evaluation. It wasn’t until the 1980s and 1990s when standardized testing became widespread, encouraged by the government as a way to measure student and school performance across the board, and in 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act made this a federal requirement. Essay testing has only been a part of standardized testing in the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs. These programs cultivate and test students who perform at a higher level than federal standards.

Although the No Child Left Behind Act encouraged standardized testing as a measure of school performance, the Race to the Top act passed by Congress during President Obama’s term encourages state and school initiative in educational reform and performance. The Race to the Top act seems to be a positive step towards encouraging initiative and creative thinking on the part of teachers and educators, rather than an SAT board.

While standardized testing can help evaluate school and student performance, testing like this seems cursory and too generalized to be effective and to encourage the creativity, applied thinking, and initiative needed to teach students. It is vital that federal programs encourage schools to go above and beyond standardized testing.

Filed Under: Requirements, School Board Tagged With: , ,

Leaving Behind the No Child Left Behind Act

The No Child Left Behind Act was enacted in 2001 to introduce and enforce educational standards in public education. The act was initiated by President George W. Bush early in his presidency. The act requires public schools to have their students meet certain educational standards in order to receive federal funding.  For teachers, this act means that they have to teach their students to perform well on these tests. If any school’s performance on standardized tests are sub-par, that school will have to enact remedial programs, tutoring options, and other ways to raise student test scores. Although there have been significant positive results within public education since the No Child Left Behind Act was passed by Congress, there are also significant criticisms of the act, which has prompted President Barak Obama to put public educational standards under review.

One problem with the No Child Left Behind Act is that it enforces federal standards across states with distinct teaching programs. Although all public schools receive federal funding, states require their teachers to be certified by state. Critics to the act argue that federal standards should be state standards, or at least state-specific. Another criticism is that the act requires schools to show AYP, or significant improvement in student test scores from year to year. These criticisms make it difficult for schools to meet educational standards, and can lead to other problems like a tendency to cheat the system or the shuffling of low-performing students to low-performing schools.

President Obama stated in his 2009 State of the Union Address that the new educational reform act, the Race to the Top, was performing much better than the No Child Left Behind Act. Instead of funding schools that meet basic, general performance standards, the act encourages schools to create educational reform and performance standards at the state level, and those that perform the best are rewarded with additional funding.

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: , ,

The Practice of Standardized Testing

Standardized, multiple-choice testing is used by our educational system to determine many things, among them is whether or not a child is ready for school, to diagnose learning disabilities and handicaps, and to make the decision of whether to advance the child to the next level or hold them back.  Tests are also used to assess teaching methods and determine the content of the curriculum.
Opponents to the standardize testing practices, feel that too much emphasis is put on the test results and that other data should be considered when making such important educational decisions.  They believe that the Readiness Tests taken by pre-schoolers don’t take into account that children develop emotionally, socially, and intellectually at different rates.  There is also some disagreement on whether or not screening tests for disabilities accurately measure the presence of a disability.  These tests also suggests that these children have problems that need to be corrected in order to fit in, rather than differences and strengths that can be built upon,  These children are often separated from the group and put into special classes.  While it may be beneficial to the child to receive special attention and individualized learning, it may be better emotionally to devise an educational plan that incorporates the child into the mainstream classroom learning experience. 
When curriculum is determined by standardized testing, it puts pressure on the teachers to make sure that the students score high.  The curriculum is then changed to teach what is on the tests, using the test format, and drilling of information from the tests.  This test based curriculum may lead to better test taking skills, but doesn’t improve academic performance or lead to learning of the fundamental basics of higher order academics.
Performance based testing rather than multiple choice testing, may better access student proficiency and more accurately measure their level of achievement.

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The Repercussions of No Child Left Behind

When one looks at what George W. Bush’s legacy on education is going to be some may say that it won’t be pretty. While he did pass sweeping legislation that changed the way the education in this country is administered, whether the policies he put into place actually helped us or set us back is going to be up for debate for quite some time. Bush’s centerpiece, the No Child Left Behind Act, made sure that schools that were actually improving in their test scores and other measurable areas got a bigger piece of the education funding pie. Those schools that struggled were urged to make changes or face having their pie taken away from them.

No Child Left Behind also had a side effect one would hope the Bush administration and the congressmen who passed NLCB didn’t realize. The tenets of NCLB basically encouraged certain schools to either downright cheat or bend the testing rules. Schools who had underperforming kids would make sure that those kids were seeing tests that were much easier than the rest of their grade level or they would simply avoid those particular children having to take the tests at all. The result were higher school wide and district wide test scores and an influx of cash.

This also meant that schools that were not cheating or bending the rules were actually being punished for being open and honest about the lower scores their students were getting. This meant that schools that honored the very tenets of the bill, that schools who were trying to improve in certain areas but could not because their funding was being cut were seeing even deeper cuts. It is hard to believe that when George W. Bush and his supporters offered this bill up they hoped that school administrators would look for ways around the policies.

Filed Under: Administration, Education, Teachers Tagged With: , ,

SAT Prep With The PSAT

While many students are already familiar with the concept of standardized testing for the purpose of tracking achievement, the PSAT may be the first test they take that has a direct impact on their future. It is an important test for students and schools alike as it gives a good indication of how well students are prepared for college. Understanding what the PSAT is and how it is scored is the first step towards successfully completing the test.

The PSAT is very similar to the SAT, only it is shorter in format. It is typically given to 11th graders and is often mandatory for the entire class. It consists of several different timed sections, each counting for a portion of the students overall score. There are two verbal sections and two math sections, which last 25 minute each. There is also a 30-minute writing section. In this aspect it is similar to the SAT. Many educators believe it is excellent practice for the SAT which students take later in their education career.

The test is scored in two ways. The first is the raw score. This score is a reflection of how many questions were answered correctly versus how many questions were answered incorrectly. The test is also scored via a scale in which the student is given an easier to understand grade.

PSAT scores are not reported to colleges although they are reported to the foundation that determines which students are eligible for national merit scholarships. Taking the test is often most useful for students hoping to understand where their strengths and weaknesses lie in preparation for the SAT.

The PSAT is more than simply another standardized test for students to take. It is an important part of the process for college bound students. Taking PSAT prep courses is a good idea for those hoping to do exceptionally well on the test.

Filed Under: Administration, Education, General Tagged With: , , ,

Standardized Testing In The American Education System

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Standardized tests are a reality that drives the American education system. Designed to survey the knowledge level of students in a uniform way, they are something that students are introduced to nearly as soon as they enter the classroom.

However, such testing requirements often make teachers feel forced into adjusting their curriculum so that instead of teaching concepts that are most needed, they feel compelled to focus on those specific areas that will be covered within the standardized tests.

The rigid requirements of standardized tests are often not the best way to judge a student’s comprehension of a subject, simply because so many students fall under the descriptor of being a “bad test taker”. This does not necessarily mean that a student has failed to understand the concepts which are taught, but merely that they have not mastered the complex skill of converting their knowledge into high scores on standardized tests.

However, some schools are mandated into administering the tests so as not to lose much-needed federal funding, which often is a driving factor for schools in low-income areas that are already struggling to stay afloat.

Thankfully, many schools from the elementary level all the way to college are beginning to adopt the idea that standardized test scores are far from the only way to judge a student’s knowledge about a particular subject. Many universities are choosing to favor such items as a personal statement or letters of recommendation from former teachers, instead of test scores to determine whether a student should be admitted.

However, although many feel that there are better ways to categorize student abilities than a standardized test, they are still widely used in today’s education system, and will likely remain so until major and lasting steps in education reform occur. Until then, standardized tests will be prevalent.

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