Testing

There has been a big discussion on one of my e-groups about standardized testing recently, as it is that time of year for kids in public schools to have their learning assessed and compared to the "norm." It was started by a dad whose daughter did not like the test, and he feels it is wrong to force her to take it as it doesn't teach her anything.

He quickly received many responses pointing out that the test in and of itself is not designed to teach anything, although then other parents jumped in with learning how to take a test is a valuable lesson. Others talked of how their children have learning disorders so the tests are unfair, still others shared how they received exemptions because of their children's special circumstances.

A lot of people talked of how their kids hate the tests, a lot of people complained that they don't see the point.

I just wrote in my two-cents' worth, asking those who are anti-test what their preferred alternative is.

Here's what I wrote:
I don't think "no testing" is reasonable; we have had scandals for years where it is discovered students are graduating without being able to read, for example. And if you allow different students to take different tests, how can you be sure every test is testing thesame things (and is it important that they do?) If we don't test at younger ages but do at older, what happens when we discover a 15 year old who missed out on a lot of things covered in early years? How do we catch that student up at that point when there are only a couple of years until graduation?

If we do away with testing then would it follow that we do away with public funding of education? I don't like the idea of having my tax dollars used in schools where no one checks in. How about having individuals visit and assess classrooms and students through observation and interviews? Maybe ideal, but unless it's done by volunteers it's too expensive for the way our funding is curretly set up. (and who would train those volunteers and make sure they are being impartial and accurate?)

More money for this type of assessments? Well, if there is more money to be spent on education I personally would rather it go to actual education than the checking up on the education in place already.

Does it all come down to money? Perhaps; many (most?) things do,which is a shame. But there is also the piece about we all live together and have to have ways of doing things that sometimes are not ideal for some individuals, but overall work for the good ofsociety. Testing may not be the best way to ensure schools are doing their jobs, but what is a better alternative?

It'll be interesting to see if I get any real replies ...