There have been countless, extreme arguments for and against Spring testing. Without question they’re needed. These tests are essential yard sticks that measure academic growth as well as determine and establish policies and programs for the entire system of education. However, there appears to be far too great of importance placed on them. Currently, daily class work and progress reports do not determine promotions. Why?? Standardized tests should merely be among many tools of assessment, not the main or only one.
A young child’s self-worth begins with two main sources – the love and support of his caregivers and his ability to perform well in school. Without either one of these a child’s whole life could be spelled out in disaster. It’s a continuous cycle. Children habitually act out in class when they cannot do the work and or are not getting positive, effective reinforcement at home. They often become the constant, disruptive forces that derail the process of teaching and learning. Today’s rigorous curriculum, which correlates directly with standardized tests, is a one-sided method of identifying the high achievers from the average and low performers. This forces the teacher to concentrate more on those students who can keep up with the mad pace and fit the unrealistic mold. Low performers are placed in remedial programs that too often do not improve their skills. More consideration should be given to multiple intelligences. There is more than one way to give and receive knowledge. Policy-makers know this, yet they continue to judge our children’s understanding by their own flawed reasoning.
America’s public schools have been reduced to elaborate warehouses filtering out the marginally to conventionally functional members of society as well as the future labor force for correctional plantations run by private corporations. The stress on children and youth to pass these tests actually contributes to the soaring drop-out rate. This is no accident! About half of black and Hispanic students drop out or opt for GEDs. At least in Chatham County (Savannah, GA), the maximum legal age a child is required to attend school is 16 – not 18. This is an open invitation to drop out for the many students with years of a substandard education. Why?? Sadly, students that succeed will do so in spite of a failing system, not because of it. If WE don’t fight this injustice why should anyone else?
