My school had their end of semester state exams last week. Yes, because my school does semester classes instead of whole year classes, we get to enjoy the fun of testing twice each year! Can you feel that sarcasm?
Here is how testing goes in my school, at least from what I have noticed:
- Teachers end their curriculum five to ten days early so that they can review.
- Students get inundated with worksheets and review games.
- This test counts for 25% of their final grade, so students are stressed out.
- Teachers are stressed out.
- The whole school stops for testing. Teachers don't get planning or breaks. Students get a small break before they must go back for more tests.
- Then, following the test, is a long week of anticipation and stress as we wait for the almighty state powers that be to send us back the scores.
- And teachers lose another week of work trying to discuss test scores with students, parents, guardians, and any other generally outraged member of society.
This testing thing is supposed to help, right? Then why is it such a negative experience for everyone?
The government is so worried about testing and accountability. Do they realize what they are doing? In whose mind is it okay to lose ten or more days to test review? Those days could be used for student learning, or student mastery of concepts. Instead they are full of stress and confusion.
Why is it okay for one test to equal 25% or more of a grade? I know of several students who received A's in their classes. These students are amazingly hard workers. Their parents do everything they can to help their children. The students worked and worked to achieve that grade. Then, testing happens. If the student gets a low grade, that student's final grade is a C. How is that fair? One test knocks them back two grade levels? Do you think that shows learning?
Well, politicians would say that means that the teacher is bad. The teacher obviously let that kid slide, and now we can tell when we see the exam scores.
Do you even understand how infuriating that is?
Imagine working for months to achieve a good grade at something. Then, one test, designed by people who don't know you or your school, takes away all of that hard work. It is demeaning. Why work hard, if everyone wants you to fail?
This fight is about teachers, yes, but it is also about so much more than that. It is about our children.
Do you want to know why some children don't like school?
It is because of all powerful adults who try to prescribe learning to them. When the child fails, and gets labeled as a failure, the child stops learning. Even more importantly, the child stops ENJOYING learning. Why would you enjoy going to a place that leads you to failure?
What of those students who want to go to college? Some colleges want pristine transcripts from high school. Let's say our child above, the one that got the C because of testing, wants to get into a college like this. Now that child's dreams of college may be gone. Scholarship donors don't care why the child got a C. All that they see is a child with a C, or a child with a low GPA. Never mind that this child can work hard and achieve A's. According to the government, hard work doesn't matter. Testing matters.
I want to find these politicians who are so worried. I want to tell them how sorry I am that their education was terrible. Clearly school must have been such a burden on them that they now want to punish the whole system and all who will belong to it.
I can't think of any other reason why this madness continues. We all need to open our eyes. They are killing learning.
Instead of complaining about how bad education is in America, why not fix it, instead of making it worse?
I guess that is too simple.
