Take the Test

Do you feel like you are constantly taking tests? It’s been reported that educators today administer more tests to students than ever before. There are tests to begin kindergarten. There are two or three achievement tests administered each year. In order to graduate from high school, students are required to take yet another test. Tests, tests, and more tests.

It’s a known fact that tests are a means to determine whether or not students are learning the material being taught. However, there are many different ways to assess student comprehension and understanding. Besides, the tests seldom evaluate the information desired in the first place.

You may think that teachers are to blame for all the tests. This just isn’t the case. Most teachers wish there was less testing. Did you know that many teachers are threatened if their students do not perform at a certain level on a test? They are threatened with having tenure taken away or being monitored.

Teachers are also pressured to teach to the test so that students will be successful taking it. This means that important curricula and material are being ignored so that students will know how to answer questions on a test. Will knowing the answer to these test questions really make a difference in their future education or their future livelihood?

Students deserve to be taught meaningful information that will be relevant and help them excel in life. Too much time is wasted in teaching to the test. Teachers should be given more support and encouragement instead of being constantly judged on how well their students perform on various tests. All this testing has got to stop.