My opinion on Standardized testing didn’t come from the Alfie Kohn book I just read, but I think he does an excellent job of addressing many of testings downfalls. Here is a concise list of facts from Standardized Testing and it’s Victims:
- Our children are tested to an extent that is unprecedented in our history and unparalleled anywhere else in the world.
- Noninstructional factors explain most of the variance among test scores when schools or districts are compared.
- Norm-referenced tests were never intended to measure the quality of learning or teaching.
- Standardized-test scores often measure superficial thinking.
- Virtually all specialists condemn the practice of giving standardized tests to children younger than 8 or 9 years old.
- Virtually all relevant experts and organizations condemn the practice of basing important decisions, such as graduation or promotion, on the results of a single test.
- The time, energy, and money that are being devoted to preparing students for standardized tests have to come from somewhere.
- Many educators are leaving the field because of what is being done to schools in the name of “accountability” and “tougher standards.”
Basically the main point being made is that standardized testing is not only useless in it’s intended goal of “keeping schools accountable” it’s actually very detrimental to education as a whole (students, teachers, schools, etc). Kohn goes on to discuss some of the implications of this system, but I think this is enough for a discussion to begin. If you have any questions on the Facts above, read the article, there is a paragraph or so on each one and will give you a better understanding of the point being made.
What are your thoughts on standardized testing?
You get what you measure.
What we are creating or non-critical thinking test takers. I find this appalling. Often our test scores in the US are compared to those in other countries as reasons we need further rigor.
Yes, some critical thinking skills are taught, but what message do these standardize tests give to the community…the parent…the student? Time spent = value of this type of knowledge.
The problem is that tests scores are the ‘easiest’ way to talk about education and track it. Unfortunately, it does just what I said. All the banners at schools in our district proclaim their ability to train students to take Math, English, etc. tests for state acclaim. Too bad we do not value problem solving in the same way.
I dislike standardized tests. Being dyslexic, they are hard for me to take, and are not a real judge of intelligence. I went through high school thinking I was dumb because I didn’t get good grades.
When you look at students holistically you can find other factors of intelligence beyond someones ability to take a test.
*yawn*
As a mom whose first child just started kindergarten, this absolutely kills me. Standardized tests are not valid. They are crap. I’ve taken standardized essay questions and gotten very mediocre scores even though I am an excellent writer. For me, and I think your average English teacher would agree, 90 percent of writing involves thinking about and researching your subject prior to writing and revision after writing. But the tests don’t allow time for those two things.
My husband is a teacher and he admitted that one year he had to just quit teaching history because history was not on the tests and his special needs students were so far behind on the things that were on the tests. It seems that they only teach English and Math now because they are whats on the tests.
I could rant on this all day, but I don’t have the energy. I’m just praying that NCLB self-destructs before my children are too old. In order to pass the tests, school have to put all of the focus on the mediocre kids who are failing but close enough to pass with a little help.
While I really want to support public education, if I could afford to, I would pull my children out until a time when they dump the total focus on standardized testing.
I was writing my post when Aaron posted. That was freaking annoying. So glad that you don’t give a rip about kids. Really, what’s your point?
yes, standardized tests are not perfect, but that does not make them worthless.
yes there are plenty of ppl who do poorly on these tests, but are otherwise brilliant. even if they are neither good test takers nor brilliant, they are still valuable ppl.
yes children need to be taught critical thinking, but things like reading comprehension, spelling, and math are not largely critical thinking tasks.
just because they are very poor measures for ppl with challenges like dyslexia, that does not mean they shoud be thrown out for all.
lastly, of course there has to be some way to determine whether teachers are teaching, students are learning, and money is not being wasted. all i ever hear from critics of testing is criticism, but no good suggestions for solutions other than tossing out all testing, grading, comparing, competing, and apparently now (see yesterday) all praising.
Indie –
Good (vegan) gravy! I was working on my second post. I don’t expect you to like it much better.
Ppl just get so worked up about things, largely just as a general reaction to the way things are, and yet often offer no real solutions. Anyone can say “no!” all the time, but that does not take much thought. That bores me, and yes, sometimes it makes me yawn.
I had a conversation once with someone who worked with the data that was collected from NCLB. I do appreciate the desire to quantity education and evaluate schools. The idea behind NCLB is to standardize education through out the US, so a child in a poor urban area is getting the same quality of education as a child in a rich suburb. I am all for this.
But tying these standardized tests to school funding is all wrong. As mentioned by Indie, it makes the teachers have to teach to a test so that the school can get the funds they need for the next year. Sometimes even cutting programs like art and music.
Why can’t we gather data through standardized tests an not tie it to funding? Why can’t NCLB take into consideration other factors besides standardized tests?
We’re going to homeschool our kids, so I really hate this sort of governmental intrusion.
What I hear from just about everyone is that teachers simply teach to the test which means that the federal government is telling everyone what is important to learn. If the federal government is telling you what to do, then its political, and national politics shouldn’t determine something as important as our kids education.
That’s my opinion, but I’m apparently some sort of Christian Libertarian nut-job đ
Wow, this one just exploded.
Aaron, since you asked, there are whole books on the subject of alternatives to testing:
http://www.alfiekohn.org/books/tsocd.htm
And most of the ‘rants’ I read about it seem to suggest alternatives and solutions, that might just be my impression.
Last, you didn’t have to make the jab about praise, I offered it because I found it intriguing and worth considering. You seemed to agree with some of the points as well.
As to everyone else, guess I hit a sore spot. Here are some ways to take action (sorry for all the Kohn links lately):
http://www.alfiekohn.org/stdtest.htm
Agree with Brian.
What I don’t get is how it is that private schools can do so well at educating kids in the three r’s, as well as in more creative and critical thinking areas than public schools. private schools generally pay their teachers less, so it can’t be that.
It has to be the at-home and community influences that differ. It’s a fair estimation to say that, while marriages may or may not be better, or parents may or may not be better, kids who live in tough neighborhoods have a harder time focusing on learning as opposed to survival. It is not the kids from tough neighborhoods that tend to go to private schools.
So, to me it seems to be in large part the outside-the-school influences that harm kids’ learning outcomes the most. Some ppl would say that gov’t sponsored healthcare, housing, childcare, food, etc., would solve this, and some would say those efforts would make it worse. 40 years or so in to the “war on poverty”, and it is as bad out there as it has ever been.
Hey Ariah –
As evidenced by my agreement with some of what was said RE praise, my comment today was not meant as a jab toward your raising the subject.
Ariah,
I love Alfie Kohn! Glad to see his stuff being discussed over here on your blog. I bet you would *love* John Holt. Pick up a copy of “Teaching Your Own” or “Learning All the Time” and let me know what you think. Brilliant man!
AS for standardized testing…it’s all hogwash as far as I’m concerned. Of course, I’m a homeschooling (unschooling) parent, so I guess
you would completely expect that answer from me. đ
Anyway, just wanted to suggest the Holt books, and let you know I *am* still reading, even though I’m not posting very often.
Peace,
Jamie
Ha, ha, vegan gravy. Nice. It helps a lot to know exactly what you’re yawning at, Aaron. I think that we can all agree that we need solutions.
Aaron, I’m curious how you find standardized tests to be useful. They don’t seem to be valid in predicting what they are supposed to predict.
Indie –
I liked the gravy line myself . . . thanks for taking it in the good natured way it was intended.
I can’t vouch for every question that they ask.
However, if it is a math question, then it is useful in determining whether the test taker knows how to do the problem.
If it is a spelling question, ditto.
Same for things like reading comprehension.
Sure, there are some kids that don’t do well on these tests despite the fact that they may know the subject matter or the necessary thought process.
I agree that writing sections on standardized tests are a little more far fetched.
I just think it is silly to say that because they are not perfect, that they are therefore worthless.
Should there be no measuring of how well teachers teach and learners learn?
I also get the impression that the same crowd that generally reacts to testing in a negative way are the same people who opppose giving grades, or keeping score in sports, or who think it is unfair that some people have more money than others and that somebody should do something about it, or, just for the heck of it, might be vegans. Now, you probably know what I think about all that from previous posts. However, at least in this post I am not meaning to make a judgment about those positions on those issues.
My point is that it seems to be more than just a standalone “tests don’t work” judgment that people make on that one issue. Rather the opposition to testing seems be a result of a more overarching attitude and mindset that also produces opposition to other kinds of evaluation and comparison. I’m not saying that very well, but I hope you get what I mean.
So, ask yourself, those of you who think testing is hogwash, or crap, or whatever, do you think that you think this about testing entirely because you think that this particular method of measureing learning or teaching is not useful or accurate, or is it that you are uncomfortable with measuring or comparing “achievement” or keeping score in general? If you think it is more of a general attitude, then what is it that you oppose generally about keeping score?
Aaron,
I don’t have a problem with “keeping score” I don’t think you can accurately judge someones knowledge of a subject with a standardized test. It can be one indicator in the mix but shouldn’t be only way of evaluating someone.
I am not an educator so I don’t know all they ways of teaching and evaluation available, but I am a fan of project based learning.
I believe that standardized tests are not accurate or valid measurements. I don’t have a problem with keeping score. I think that evaluations are extremely useful, but they should be individualized for the student with the goal of helping the student and educators see where improvement is needed and to determine where the students interests and talents lie. Schools that have the greatest need (usually because of socioeconomic issues beyond the teachers’ control) should receive additional resources rather than be punished. In some schools the state takes over and all of the teachers are fired without regard for the individual teacher’s abilities and achievements because their school has continued to fail NCLB standards. NCLB doesn’t distinguish between innate differences in ability or differences which are a result of circumstances entirely beyond the control of the teachers and administrators. For example, special ed students are often expected to perform as well as their regular counterparts. English language learners are expected to pass the tests shortly after arriving in the U.S. In many cases these children were not even enrolled in school in their countries of origin and they need years to catch up but they are only given months. This serves to push the good teachers out of schools where they are needed the most.
You know, I’ve read that a lot of colleges are not putting as much weight on SAT scores any more because they are poor indicators of future performance. Class grades are one of the better indicators not surprisingly since they are a more personalized evaluation from someone who has seen the student’s actual work and attitude toward learning.
I would agree that lots of money is “wasted” on preparing for testing and devoting time to test, etc. I would say that each school spends hundreds of staff hours and energy to prepare for testing week alone. This doesn’t include all the extra classroom prep, etc.
We have to search out refreshments (to give our kids an extra little edge), recruit volunteer hall monitors, make sure all the tests are in order (if 1 test is misplaced the whole school’s test scores will be thrown out), ensure all of the technology is working properly (more of the tests are becoming computerized).
Finally, I think I mentioned this on your last education post, the current testing model doesn’t provide exemptions for non- or low-level English speakers, or immigrants who may have showed up that morning for their first day of school in America. Take out those extremes, every year our student population changes drastically depending on what happens to our immigrant students (they are highly transitory).
I agree we need some type of benchmarks and standards to ensure that our student’s are learning and growing each year. But the current system doesn’t do that. I’ll repeat that 40% of Minnesota School Districts didn’t meet NCLB benchmarks this year for Annual Yearly Progress (this includes suburban, rural, and urban schools).
well, as for my own experience, the ppl that I know that did the best on standardized tests also appeared to be the brightest students based on what I could observe, and based on their continued success and accomplishments. The students who did the worst on tests also did the worst in other ways. That is anecdotal and subjective of course, bit so is the visceral sort of reaction a lot of ppl have against testing.
I am a second year teacher at a Montessori Public school. I find myself caught in this wierd paradigm of fully following the Montessori philosophy and prepping kids for the tests. At our school, we are given a packet called “The First 20 Days.” It is a 4 week curriculum that is supposed to be followed ver-batim. It is filled with lessons and worksheets designed to help the kids cram for this fall’s ISTEP (Indiana’s Standardized test). This is all mandated by our district (Fort Wayne community schools). This school year, we have to take the test again in the spring because the state is moving to spring testing. This is the “transition year” so the kids have to take the test twice. Research says taking it in the spring is more relevant to what the kids have learned that school year. In Michigan, they are moving to taking the test in the fall, because of what research says. Hmmm…
All of this to say, that standardized testing, generally, is a load of crap. They are numerous ways to evaluate what learning and teaching are taking place without using them. This is one of the things I love about the Montesorri Philosophy. And Ariah is right, Alfie Kohn does a nice job of pointing out some of these ways. Child development doesn’t happen in a standardized way. The tests aren’t measuing how a child is developing mentally and emotionally, what they are learning, they are measuring what a child has memorized. Memorization doesn’t mean learning has taken place.
If I’m not too late in joining the conversation, I would be interested in hearing Jason and Jamie share their perspectives behind home-schooling. I am curious, in a positive way.
Hi, Joshua,
I’m always an open book đ and would love to answer your questions. What exactly are you curious about in regard to homeschooling?
Peace,
Jamie
I think it is the thought process that a one goes through that leads to homeschooling. What were the motivations, the conversations that led you to making the choice to homeschool?
Thanks Jamie!
Joshua,
Here goes:
My husband and I firmly believe that children have a deep desire to learn, a natural curiousity about the world around them that drives them to seek out the answers to their questions. From the first day of life, they absorb information like a sponge. With sheer glee and pure awe!! Ya know? God created us all this way.
Unfortunately, we have seen the public school system literally suck the joy right out of kids. Learning becomes burdensome, very much forced and unnatural, utterly boring at times. We do not want that for our children. We want them to follow their God-given desires, their passions, and learn the things their hearts push them towards. Each child is unique and their interests will be unique as well. They do not fit into the cookie-cutter mold schools try to force them into.
As parents, we guide them, gently nudge them forward, encourage them, provide experiences and opportunities for them…but never EVER force them into memorizing information or making lists. Or jumping through hoops to prove they are listening or soaking it all in. Like you said, that is *not* learning. True learning cannot be measured that way.
Schools also place our kids into this unrealistic mini-world where everyone around them is the exact same age, and their socialization is really just based on cliques and consumerism… and the pecking order is fierce and brutal. We want our kids to be surrounded by diversity, people of all ages, from newborns to grandmothers, and we want them to learn how to function in the world with the daily support of a secure and loving family…ALL day long, not just over breakfast and dinner and while they’re being tucked into bed.
WE want to help them to get their bearings in this life…truly learn about themselves to their core, without all the added stress and heartache that might break them before they even begin to get a feel for it…We want to watch them blossom into the life-loving, curious, intelligent men and women of God they were meant to be. With their spirits and love of learning fully in tact.
This is why we have chosen to “disciple” them in the REAL world. At our feet, through every day life. Where they can be free to touch and talk and ask questions…to be allowed to challenge what they hear and see…where they can learn about ANYTHING they want on a moment’s notice, be free to follow their whims…learn about the world through watching and actively participating in life, not merely sitting on the sidelines with a pile of books and tests, waiting for someone to tell them it’s time to “graduate” into it. đ
It’s how Jesus taught the people he loved. He simply invited them to walk alongside him. Join him in the journey. He was the *ultimate* teacher, and his disciples knew him and loved him with all they had. My husband and I trust in him completely, so we’re just following his lead. And our children are walking right along with us. đ
Peace,
Jamie
Wow Jamie! Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. That was great. I appreciate the thought you and your husband have put into this. When you feel like you have time and energy to respond again, would you mind sharing a little about how this plays our practically for your family? (How old are your children?)
Godspeed,
Joshua
Ahhh…good question, Joshua. Can I just say “every day is an adventure!” đ LOL
I have four kiddos- my son Isaiah is 3 months old, my daughters Niah and Jaden are 3 and 5, and my step-daughter Sydney is 12. So, yeah, I’ve got my hands full.
We don’t follow any particular curriculum, but just allow their curiousity to lead the way. Some days that means just chilling at home, reading books and playing in the dirt. Jumping rope. Board games. Sidewalk chalk and bubbles.
Other days it’s actively looking things up on the internet or playing educational games online. Watching movies. Browsing through encyclopedias or visiting the library, each of us coming home with an armload of books! Occasionally meeting up at the park with other unschoolers, watching them run around together, climbing trees or digging in the sand.
Most days, though, it’s just everyday normal stuff. Grocery shopping, doing laundry, making meals, eating together, paying bills, hanging diapers out to dry in the sun.
Everybody is an active participant in the daily rythms of life around the house. Niah and Jaden are great at folding clothes, and they especially love trying to get all the random washcloths we have folded the exact same size and stacked neatly. That’s a real-life math lesson for sure!! LOL
The kids play with building blocks and race cars. Dress up clothes and baby dolls. They draw pictures and make puppets. Read to each other and write silly notes. Make beautiful, artistic cards for Grandma and Grandpa. Just enjoying the fun of being a kid. Ya know?
As Sydney gets older, she’s starting to show some interest in very *targeted* areas. At one point it was home design, and then for a short time fashion, but now she’s changing gears yet again. Becoming a little scientist of sorts.
We just help her pursue what interests her, and we have to trust that God knows her heart and is leading her to where she needs to be. If she’ll need it in real life, adult life, she will learn it. The desire will find it’s way into her heart somehow. If she gets to a place and discovers she doesn’t have a skill she needs to do what she’s seeking, what she loves, she will do what she needs to do in order to learn it. Because she’ll have a passion for it. A burning desire all her own pushing her towards that goal. And isn’t that what it’s all about anyway??
Hope that answers your question some. Feel free to keep tossing ’em at me. I’m enjoying the conversation, being able to shed some light on unschooling. đ
Peace,
Jamie
Have not read any of the above comment, only the post. I am sure what I have to say has already been said better but here we go anyway. I am against these kinds of tests. I am what most would call and Educational Anarchist. I think each student should learn each subject at his/her own pace. For instance a student may be on 2nd grade math but 6th grade science level.