Standardized Testing Should Be Reformed Essay Example

Most people spend their education preparing for standardized tests. These tests seem unnecessary at the time but actually shape our future. For example, students from 4th-5th grade take an i-Ready test that determines if they qualify for advanced classes. Later in high school students study for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, etc. These test scores determine what colleges accept the student. Unfortunately, students feel unprepared and don’t feel like the tests are ethical. Standardized testing has been a cornerstone of the educational system for too long.

Standardized tests affect students all over the world no matter what grade they are in. Standardized tests exist so that we know if students are learning or not. However, This actually had the opposite effect on students. A lot of states could not meet the quota of passing tests and learning conditions had negative effects, (Haney and Madaus 1989). This caused schools to focus more on just test material than what needed to be learned (Sinclair 2021). Other subjects were being treated like they were less important like they did not even matter. And children focused on them less because of this. Some students just are not as good at math and English as they are in other subjects like science or social studies. However, because of the focus on them, these children are thought of as not as smart when really they are just not being tested on what they are good at doing. This does not only affect the students but teachers also. Teachers have to teach by the book. And in American schools (Maryland) teachers are given a book that had everything that they were supposed to be tested on, and teachers used it to make lesson plans. There was no room for teachers to be creative and plan their own funlesson plans. Because they neeed to to This is because if their students do poorly on tests it makes them look bad as teachers.

Another issue with standardized testing is the testing conditions. People perform better on tests when they are comfortable. The factors that affect a student getting a question right or wrong may be infinite! Testing shouldn't be a one size fits all thing because it is not, one size does not fit all. Some reasons children might not do well are because of the situational/environmental and or personal/emotional things. It might be too bright or too dark also might be too cold or too hot. The testing conditions may cause students to perform not so well. Like when students might miss questions, not because they do not know the material but for something as simple as the testing center had poor lighting that caused headaches in students, or because the testing room was too cold and did not allow certain students to focus. (Sincalir 2021) It is hard to focus on a test when you arent at your maximum comferterbility. And it does not help that you do not get to take good breaks or talk. Some people need to voice things out loud to accurately think well. And the test is too long they need longer breaks to get their best ability. Students that talk through tests are punished when that is just how their brain works. How are they expected to do well when they can not even work through the problem in the best way for them. This will bring anxiety to the student because now they know they will not do as well. Now their anxiety is affecting their testing too. Now it is time for the teachers to suffer too. I myself had a breakdown while taking these tests. And my teacher wanted to help me I could tell but she knew she couldn't and she too started crying. I was told I could take a break but, then I would just have run out of time. And no child should have to choose between mental health and their future. Research has shown students who perform poorly academically have a higher risk of leaving school, engaging in inappropriate behavior, becoming less interested in school activities, coming from low-income or single-parent families, and obtaining less support from teachers. (Sincalir 2021)

This alone shows that some changes need to be made to the way we test our students. The way the test is conducted needs to be changed. Students are good at different things and in different ways. This suggests that students should have different ways to test and different testing ways to choose from. Someone that does poorly in the multiple-choice section, might do pretty well in the short answer section and vice versa. This will show in the test results that they just think a little differently. The test should be in different forms. They could be tested in the form of projects and or games. This way we not only test what they know but their work ethic. Tests like these will not bring as much stress and can be made fun and enjoyable. Studies show that Increasing student motivation provides students with an opportunity to maximize their learning experience by increasing their drive and devotion to learning (Sincalir 2021). This also allows students to show their strengths. And this is where the standardized test usually  fails.. Standardized testing is supposed to track your learning over your learning career. However, if it is not taken in an ideal way for the student, then they will not do their best.

Overall, Standardized testing should be reformed. I was a student that has had stressed about standardized testing. And as some who has had an anxiety attack during the test; I believe that standardized testing is not the best way to measure what students know. Some students are smart but their ACT/SAT scores do not reflect their ability. If these students would have been given other options like a project, they probably would have scored better. And had to access to more scholarships. There are many students that are smart but testing environments. had set them back. They should be giving students different ways to test to get their best scores, for their best results.