Standardized tests have no place in elementary education. Because testing becomes the focus of education instead of learning. We take away the fun and excitement of learning, playing, exploring, & creating. We prepare test takers instead of problem solvers and innovators.
@DrBradJohnson Has no place in most High School cases as well
@DrBradJohnson Not sure. Testing only becomes the focus if teachers are evaluated on it. If the test is to assess student mastery levels, then the focus remains on learning. I’m for others things (exploring, etc) but it’s good for parents to know where kids stand on basic comprehension
@DrBradJohnson This is an administrative problem. I used to argue that if we taught the curriculum well, the testing would take care of itself. But what I observed was rampant teaching to the test, (along with teaching the mechanics of how to take the test--a true waste of instructional time.)
You raise a very important point. When education becomes more about standardized testing than actual learning, we risk losing the essence of what makes education so vital. Encouraging a love for learning, exploration, and innovation in our young learners is crucial for nurturing future problem solvers and innovators. 🌟🎓
@DrBradJohnson I used to teach English to adults and we had a fun activity which involved following spoken directions to draw something. (Listening skills! Shapes! New vocabulary!) Our lead teacher came in and put a halt to the lesson DURING the lesson because it wasn’t productive.
@DrBradJohnson Your first sentence is a subjective absolute and your last sentence is a subjective extrapolation. Tests should be checkpoints of mastery, with formative interventions that either re-teach or launch toward higher order thinking. Most parents do this every day with their children
@DrBradJohnson I love this! I left public education for this very reason and found a school where I can teach. They take Terra Nova and are happy children. The amount of stress I saw on 4th graders was depressing me in the public school system.
@DrBradJohnson Big money for testing companies and politicians.
@DrBradJohnson I agree 100%! I am a retired elementary school teacher. Education completely changed with the advent of standardized test. We taught test taking skills in the third grade and many worksheets were in the test format. Our students scored well, but there was no excitement.