The purpose of this debate is to evaluate the positive and negative aspects of standardized testing within our school board system. Standardized testing has been quite the controversy throughout the years. Some people find that standardized testing has many benefits whereas others find it detrimental. By looking at both sides of the coin, it will become clear whether standardized testing has a positive or negative impact on our education system as well as on our children’s lives. There are many perspectives and angles to look at this situation. For instance, the opinions from a student will be different compared to a parent, teacher, school board, and the Ministry of Education.
First, I will be looking at the positive aspects of having standardized testing. From the perspective of the student, he/she would be able to look at their past standardized tests to compare their results. For example, the student would be able to look at their scores and realize what areas they need to work on, according to the criteria given. They can also compare their scores along with their fellow peers and other students across the regional. This gives the student an opportunity to track their progress as they transition from elementary, to middle school, and then to high school.
From the perspective of the parents, they are able to see how their child is doing at the school’s level, municipal, and regional level. This can be considered crucial when parents decide to enroll their child into a particular school. Many parents nowadays look at a school’s reputation by what courses they provide and if the school meets provincial standardized testing. Parents also use the standardized testing to help them see where their child may need help whether it’s mathematics or language arts.
From the perspective of teachers, the standardized testing actually guides them in areas they need to focus on when implementing their teaching techniques and conveying the curriculum to the students. Teachers are the ones who help prepare the students for the assessment by providing practice sheets or booklets. Students are expected to complete the booklet so they have an understanding of what’s to come for the actual evaluation. (Standardized Testing , n.d.).
From the perspective of the school, the percentage of how the school scores overall gives them an advantage of getting funded from the government. The government provides funding to schools which have the Standardized tests set clear, consistent criteria which everyone is assessed at the same level. (Standardized Testing , n.d.).
Now looking at the negative aspects of having standardized testing, it can mostly have a detrimental impact on students and schools.
From the perspectives of students, standardized testing can be extremely difficulty. The constant demand on competing in a sense that their grades must increase and be higher than their peers. We live in a society where we strive to be successful. Another issue is that though standardized testing is an assessment that is used across the province, students have different needs and learn at different paces. Standardized testing does not necessarily meet the needs of students when there is a given criteria in which there’s a pass or a fail. According to the article, Standard Test: More Questions than Answers, it stated that “standardized means the same for everybody, set by a central authority – a government department or private company. But kids aren’t the same. A test can tell you what the score means for the kid. It depends on where s/he started from, what his abilities are and what’s important for her to know. […] Teachers know this and can adjust the lesson to the learner. But anonymous test scorers can’t. So standardized tests are poor indicators of how kids and teachers are doing.” (Standard tests: More questions than answers, 2011).
From the perspective of the school board, if the school’s overall score is not sufficient enough or does not meet the minimum passing level, then the school does not receive any additional funding from the government. This is quite the shock. Usually we would consider that any school which needs assist in making their program better will receive the assistance. However, this is not the case. “…When test scores become the basis for rewards and punishments like hiring, firing, teacher pay, and school funding or closing, the tests grow vulnerable to, and even create an incentive for cheating, or garning the system.” (Standard tests: More questions than answers, 2011).
In conclusion, standardized testing is used to hold accountability to those who are being created the test, teaching the test, and being evaluated. Parents and the public has the right to know what It also measures the effectiveness of teacher’s teaching abilities, schools being able to provide programs targeted towards children’s basic skills. (Standardized Testing , n.d.). Standardized testing does have its advantages and disadvantages to the education system. However, we must remember that our children are just children and not test subjects. We should be focusing on how we enhance the learning experiences for our children to grow into critical thinkers in the future.
References
Standard tests: More questions than answers. (2011, April 01). Retrieved from The Star.Com: http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/967443–standard-tests-more-questions-than-answers
Standardized Testing . (n.d.). Retrieved from Nipissing University: http://www.nipissingu.ca/education/wynneb/…/PPT/standardizedtesting.ppt
Anjanie Chooraman 