Standardized Testing: Is It Good for Our Children?

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Standardized Testing:  Is It Good for Our Children?

 

The California STAR Test is one of the biggest problems plaguing the education of our children in this state.  
In theory, standards-based education makes sense.  It is a framework by which educators can ensure they are teaching in way that is coherent and structured.  In addition, it gives educators, parents and students a way to monitor progress.  In reality, the task of meeting the standards can be monumental due to a diverse population of learners, an increase in class sizes, and a decrease in budgets.  Oftentimes, we hear that educators are “teaching to the test,” which means that most of the lessons and activities that students engage in are designed to improve the coveted score that ultimately is scrutinized by stakeholders to determine whether sanctions may be imposed on schools that do not meet certain benchmarks imposed by the State.  
The biggest losers are the learners.
While the essence of the test has some inherent value, it is lost in the mad focus on the outcomes.  Many students are repeatedly told they are failures based on their STAR test results.  However, because of the way the test and the standards framework are constructed, most students will have a difficult time raising their scores as they progress in school.  Eventually, they begin to perpetuate the self-fulfilling prophecy that they cannot learn, and they give up.
One of the problems is that the test asks students to engage in higher level thinking skills which many students have not been able to develop adequately because they are being bombarded by too many concepts throughout the year. The material is taught broadly and superficially rather than in a concentrated and thorough manner that allows students to truly master concepts and skills in their own time according to their individual learning styles.
Are the STAR Test results important for our children?
While the expectations of bureaucrats can be unreasonable, the STAR Test and the State standards can be helpful tools in determining the areas in which students may need remediation. Engaging in higher level thinking skills and mastering the concepts on the tests are good goals. We can help students improve in these areas, but most likely we are going to have to supplement what they are getting in the classroom. Many helpful materials can be found at bookstores and online.  In addition, tutoring services like Math Magicians, Inc., can help bridge the gaps that may exist between the students’ mastery of concepts and their ability to think critically and what the State will measure on the STAR Test in the spring.  
What can we do to help our children improve their STAR Test scores?
Math Magicians, Inc. offers a Reach for the STARS workshop that helps students prepare for the test.

 On the first day of the workshop, students are assessed to determine areas of weakness.  Materials that are closely aligned to the test are used to strengthen skills and bridge learning gaps. Students are asked to engage in higher level thinking skills and critical thinking activities in order to prepare them for the California STAR Test.  The workshop is March 19th to March 22rd from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm.  The cost is $89.  If you’re interested in registering your student, please call us at 661.718.3699 or visit www.mmtutor.com for more details.