Pros And Cons Of Standardized Testing Essay - 903 Words

Welcome to the 1st episode of Issues in education 101. On this episode we’ll be discussing and exploring both the pros and cons of standardized testing with input from two teachers who use standardized testing in their classrooms. I’m Sarah and I’m Madison. Our goal is to cover both the issues and benefits of standardized testing. To begin, we’ll start with a question to think about: What is the purpose for students and teachers of standardized testing? First, we’ll start by talking about the cons. There isn’t really a benefit for students because standardized testing doesn’t teach students much. These standardized tests can also stress out students which can cause for inaccurate results. Mrs. Hoffman, the 7th and 8th grade math teacher,†¦show more content†¦Now we’re moving to the pros and more of the benefits of standardized testing. Both Mrs. Hoffman and Mrs. Lowrey believe that standardized testing gives teachers a goal outside of what is done in the classroom and also presents teachers with data that helps them know what they need to teach and what students need to learn. â€Å"Standardized testing gives teachers an idea of what level students are at academically and what they need to work on,† Mrs. Hoffman said. She also says that standardized testing is necessary because it gives a comparison of schools on the progress happening inside of them. She finds standardized testing results to be helpful in the classroom because she uses the scores for partner work. Mrs. Hoffman mixes those with high scores with those with low scores, or high scores with high scores, so they can help each other out. When we asked Mrs. Hoffman who benefitted more from standardized tests, students or teachers, she replied that teachers definitely benefit more than students because teachers use the scores to look at what level the students are at, when students can take a test and not care what happens after they get the results back. For Mrs. Lowrey, she believes that the pros of standardized testing include: It informs teachers of students’ capabilities and understanding of content. She restatesShow MoreRelatedThe Pros and Cons of Standardized Testing Essay1755 Words   |  8 PagesArgumentative Essay: Standardized Testing â€Å"Standardized testing has become the arbiter of social mobility, yet there is more regulation of the food we feed our pets that of the tests we give our kids † (Robert Schaeffer quotes) Standardized tests have historically been used as measures of how students are compared with one another or how much of a particular curriculum they have learned throughout the semester or year. Consequently, standardized tests are being used to make major decisions aboutRead MoreThe Pros and Cons of Standardized Testing Essay674 Words   |  3 PagesStandardized testing is a down fall to many students but also an opportunity for many others. Standardized testing has its pros and its cons. It can be the make it or break it factor into getting into colleges you are hoping to attend or the scholarships you want to earn. Some people may have their opinions about the test, whether they hate it or not but the fact is that it’s here to stay. What exactly is standardized testing you may ask, it is a test which measures the knowledge among differentRead More Pros And Cons Of Standardized Testing Essay1919 Words   |  8 Pagesrecognizes that standardized testing is a central part of the educational system in our country. What many people do not know though is the history of where it came from. Beginning in the mid-1800’s prestigious universities decided they wanted to give more students across the country a better chance at going into higher education, but at the time there was not a way to measure the capabilities of students in both high class and low class families. This is how standardized testing came into play.Read MoreStandardized Testing: Does It Really Tell Academic Performance?638 Words   |  3 PagesStandardized testing is any test that remains the same and is given in the same manner to all test takers. Standardized testing began in China as a part of job applications. They became more frequently use d in the early 1900’s to determine an individual’s intelligence. The army used these tests to determine if soldiers were officer material. In 2000, Finland had the highest PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) scores in the world. Finland uses very little standardized testing comparedRead MoreStandardized Testing Was Originallycreated In China And972 Words   |  4 Pages Standardized testing was originally created in China and from there it grew, in 1905 Alfred Binet had developed the IQ test and by the time World War One standardized testing was standard practice (Fletcher). The SAT and ACT are the most common standardized test today, while a lot of college bound students take the ACT and SATs to show how smart they are and how well they will do in college theses test are not the best way to determine a student s potential, â€Å"these test have also been shown thatRead MoreStandardized Testing Is Not Beneficial1702 Words   |  7 PagesStandardized Testing In the world today standardized testing is mandatory in all schools whether they are public or private. If schools continue to make these test mandatory, students grades will show the reflection of what they are not learning. The school might also receive less state funding due to poor performance on these tests. Once No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was introduced US students slipped from 18th in the world in math in 2000 to 31st in 2009 (Standardized). Standardized testingRead MoreCommon Core Standards Are A Beneficial Tool For Our Educational System867 Words   |  4 PagesCommon Core, a taboo word for many parents and teachers. But some may disagree and say that Common Core Standards are a highly beneficial tool for our educational system. Through this essay I will discuss what I believe are some pros and cons of the Common Core Standards and why it is such a hot topic in our schools. Pros: One benefit to Common Core Standards are that they are universally benchmarked. Meaning standards will be the same through each state. Before Common Core each state a different setRead MoreThe Role Of State Standards On The Classroom1734 Words   |  7 PagesDiscuss the pros and cons of this perception. Today, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has shift the blame for failing students upon the school instead of the student. As a result, schools and teachers are under a lot of pressure to produce test scores that show students are passing. If test scores are not showing proficient in grade level standards, then schools could lose vital funding. With every legislation and law there is always going to be pros and cons. The same goes for NCLB. The cons to NCLBRead MoreStandardized Tests Are Not A Success1347 Words   |  6 PagesStandardized Tests are Not a Success Standardized testing has been ruling over the lives of students, making or breaking them in their education without fair judgement. Tests like the SAT and the ACT count for way too much when applying to colleges, which in turn limits the student s capabilities to thrive in an environment that would benefit them. There are many problems within a standardized test that deems them to be unreliable as a true test of knowledge. Although designed to test groups ofRead MoreEssentials Of A Good Education By Diane Ravitch996 Words   |  4 Pageschance to obtain an education they can take into the real world. Ms. Ravitch’s argument that the overemphasis on testing for basic skills has led to public school’s neglect of important life and social skills will be evaluated to increase the reader’s understanding of this debated topic. In 2010, Ms. Ravitch was on the other side of this argument, she was a believer in more standardized tests and supported linking test scores to school funding. Society during this time was all about letting schools