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Thursday, March 20, 2014

Standardized Test-Taking Makes Everyone Crazy

Do I believe in standardized tests? I have a problem with the question.  Here is a better one: Do I believe that standardized tests are accurate and reliable representations of what students know and are able to do?

No.

Perhaps that is a debate for another day.  One thing is for sure: the entire staff will act like they've been replaced by Agitated Exam Riot Police.

Schedules are rearranged, and re-rearranged; and in many cases obliterated altogether.  Classes are canceled.  Signs are posted at every door and hallway intersection. Teachers are forcibly moved from their classrooms and held hostage as exam proctors. Students are scarce in the hallway.  And don't you DARE to make the slightest bit of noise: the faculty will descend upon you and you will never be seen again.

Whether they support it or not, teachers are expected to make test-taking as painless as possible for their students.  We want to help them prepare, we want to help them focus, we want to allow them time and space to complete what is required of them. 

But it is a guarantee that teachers will therefore became a little... unbalanced.

I received an email from a test proctor asking for a bathroom break.  I walked down the hallway to her classroom and looked in the window - from behind me I heard a hissed whisper: "THEY"RE TESTING!" to which I politely turned and smiled.  I received a condescending look by another staff member in return and before further reproof could be had, the proctor opened the door in front of me and gratefully ran to the bathroom. 

Is it really necessary that we take the whole routine to such extremes? Don't children ever take tests while the rest of the world carries on? It seems that we are trying to create unreal circumstances under which children produce information on a scale which is proportionately unreal. 

What we really want is for children to learn, and we do need to assess their learning.  But how about we keep the tear gas at bay and be realistic? It is just a test.

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