The hot topic of the week that I chose is
MCAS testing though I do want this to encompass a view on all forms of
standardized testing. What exactly is the goal of standardized testing in
schools? It is the belief of many schools benefit from using standardized
testing such as the MCAS to see what level the students are learning at and if
there are changes that need to be made to the curriculum. However standardized
testing is not always reliable in the sense that many children simply do not
test well. For example, a child may have retained the knowledge to do well on
the test itself however when it comes time to take the test, it is possible
that the student could become nervous and therefore unable to focus on the test
placed before him or her which would bring down the scores of the test.
The MCAS test itself tests the subjects of
English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science/Technology. In addition to
testing the students at different grade levels, it is required by the state for
each student who intends to graduate from high school to pass the MCAS that is
given in sophomore year.
It is my belief that this form of testing,
while beneficial for the schools should not be required to graduate simply
because some students do not test well and a standardized test which is given
to the entire student body cannot possibly be an accurate way to test if each
student has learned what they were meant to learn. I am sure that there must be
a way to test the students outside of the MCAS test to make sure that they are
learning what they are supposed to be learning without putting them in the
stressful environment that occurs during the testing.
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