The word achievement can be defined as the successful execution of an act. In learning, achievement is the furthering of one's knowledge, typically through an instructional environment provided to the learner; such as public schools. In the large majority of public school systems today, the quality of a student's academic performances and the ability of the teachers who instruct these students are based on the highly controversial yearly standardized testing structure. This structure requires all test-takers to answer a fixed amount of similarly based questions to provide what many presume is an accurate measure of that student’s in-school achievement. However, many others believe these methods are inconclusive and unfair when determining an individual's expertise in a specific area. An award-winning author, Jeannie Fulbright, was once quoted saying “If the purpose of learning is to score well on a test, we've lost sight in the real reason for learning”. In this quote, Fulbright conveys her displeasure with the current standardized testing methods in place. She is not alone in her distaste with this most common evaluation of young learners. This approach is widely criticized due to the level of stress it places on students, as well as it’s forcing of educators to concentrate on keeping pace with a curriculum centered around a test rather than their pupil’s comprehension of a topic. In view of the basis of these opinions against yearly standardized testing, the procedures in
“Mostly, they worry that common standards would reduce teaching to only a small range of testable information and would not produce the knowledge, flexibility and creativity needed. Buttressing this concern, the Center on Education Policy found that the emphasis on test-based accountability has indeed already narrowed the curriculum” (Mathis). Standardized testing has become a controversial topic recently throughout the nation because of the harsh, confined lessons teachers are being forced to give. According to a news article written by the New York Times, teenagers nationwide are taking anti-depressants to cope with test-related stress and teachers would rather retire than teach when the government seems to value testing over learning. Teachers
Jouriles, Greg. “Here’s why we don’t need standardized testing.” Education Week 33.36(2014). 36,40. Web. 22 February 2015.
Standardized testing has been around for centuries. It has been a part of America’s education since mid 1800’s. Ever since the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002, tests are now required and mandated in every state. But has their use improved America’s education?
On most normal mournings, students can be found showering and eating breakfast before school. This is the normal routine. However, students in Ohio who wake up in March or April find another item added to their routine, stress. These two months are testing months. Tests like the Air, SAT or ACT help determine if a student passes jr. high or high school or gets into college. On these mornings, students worry on their way to school. Most even worry when it comes time to take the test. Stress is just one of the unintended consequences of standardized tests. Even though Standardized tests were made to help keep the classroom teacher and schools accountable, the unintended consequences of them have been hurtful to teacher and students.
It's 8 A.M. on a Saturday, and masses of students around the United States wake up and head to their testing sites in order to take the SAT. This is a common occurrence that happens multiple times a year, but it raises the question as to how seriously should society take these tests and other standardized testing, such as the Regents examinations in New York State. The answer to this is obvious, clearly these exams, and all standardized tests, must be taken seriously, due to the fact they provide vital information for colleges such as which students are the best, they provide ample data for high schools and state governments to prove that the academic standards are being upheld, and they also provide useful information to various institutions
Introduction: Standardized testing is used to hold schools accountable. The pressure to have students pass the STAAR test has negatively impacted education, because teachers to narrow curriculum in order to focus on material on the test. Standardized testing is causing the deterioration of a meaningful curriculum in the Texas Education System
In 2001, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was passed to improve the education system. Standardized testing is one of the results of President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act. States are required by law to test students every year from 3rd grade to 8th grade and once from 10th grade to 12th grade in at least reading and math. Here in Georgia, the test is the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT). Standardized testing is both good and bad for a student, the school, and the teachers. With all of its’ pros and cons, standardized testing should remain an important aspect of our school system.
Many schools statewide are facing the contradictory topic of the exemption of standardized testing amongst their students. This format of assessing with American Education began in the middle 1800’s and grew when the NO Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) mandated testing in the US in 2002. These actions taken were said to mainly have been put in place to keep teachers and schools accountable for the assurance of those paying taxes and what government money is being spent on. Despite these comments, the vast majority of people would say that the proficiency level aligned with the state’s reading and math, find it to be an impossible goal to aim for. And throughout the course of time, multiple days in the school year have been eradicated with test
There is orthodoxy in our education system that standardized testing is important for education. There is a belief that standardized testing is important student outcomes. The educational establishment believes that we should use standardized test to evaluate students and teachers. They believe that we should fire bad and incompetent teachers. . These bureaucrats believe that students need to evaluated based on standardized test. They believe there should be more accountability in our education system.
A new PDK/Gallup poll shows that most Americans oppose nationwide Common Core tests, and view other criteria such as engagement with classwork and feedback about school more important than performance in standardized testing in measuring the effectiveness of schools.
As a nation, I believe that the system and society is failing to give children a fundamentals for success in our public school system. Fixated on standardized testing as the measurement of a child’s quality of learning has led to our newest high school graduates lacking the basic skills to create a resume, the ability to think critically or how to manage a checkbook. I believe that state and federal funding should be accessible to schools allowing teachers to be paid their worth. This in part will address the poor quality of education that has been identified in poverty stricken and low income communities. I believe that investments should be made in teachers training and their bosses. It should be mandatory and regulated at a national level, this will level out the playing ground for many
Education is very important in the development and the expansion of the future of the United States. Scholars spent more than 12 years of their life attending a school which provides the tools for them to go on into adulthood on their own and becomes “successful”. Although this was the intention of the education system, many argue that this system is putting more value on those who are academically gifted will be more successful. Thus, the term “successful” is over defined. In relation, Standardized testing in our educational system has both pros and cons for an average American student, however, some feel as it is over utilized and does not measure a student’s capability to “succeed”. Standardized Testing is not very beneficial for scholars
Standardized testing- in any dictionary or any website, it can be described as "a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner". Though, if you go to any school and ask a student's definition of testing, it would probably sound something along the lines of, "the WORST kind of punishment a teacher can give a student." What the students don’t know is testing is helping them create their lifestyle, paving their life, and preparing them for their future. Standardized testing has been debated nationally; people who believe in standardized testing has a positive effect on students claim that, standardized testing provides descriptive information for thoughtful use by well trained teachers. Some reasons for this is: standardized testing has been around since the 1930s when students in public schools first started testing; testing has only progressed since then. Also, we are able to get more information from our students than just regular tests in classrooms. Last, but certainly not least, testing aids as a system to help for future development for any of our students.
Another argument is that “School districts and teachers should have the autonomy to create their own standards and curricula at the local level, rather than being held to national criteria and impossible standardized tests (Embrace The Common Core).” One of the most controversial issues in public education, the topic of standardized tests has actually taken on a life of its own.
Ever since standardized testing started being used as a way to evaluate the intelligence of students and the teachers’ ability to educate, the standard of actual education has been diminished immensely. Standardized testing is used in most public and private schools to analyze students’ knowledge. It has affected the way in which students learn and has corrupted the methods teachers use to educate. In some cases, English-Learning and disabled students face discrimination from teachers since teachers have more responsibility to have a high number of passing students. Some countries around the world don’t use standardized tests to rank their students or schools and yet they have been successful. Standardized tests are not efficient on making students learn, they should not be used to evaluate students’ knowledge.