Standardized Tests: My Brief Philosophy
When it comes to my philosophy of standardized testing, I would consider myself more against than for it, but still appreciative of the concept. I do think that standardized tests have a place in our educational world, but not how they are now. Especially in the realm of secondary education, so many students are score-crazy, pushing aside most dedication to true and meaningful learning in hopes of bettering the test score. It is sad to see a world where one number shapes who you are or what possibilities await. It should sadden other teachers, I think, too. For many standardized tests, students are locked in a room with no resources and asked to demonstrate content mastery with sometimes confusing context. In what world are we left to fend for ourselves with not even so much as a dictionary to help us? In what profession will we be unable to ask for help or check our work against reference materials? What real life, post-education...