more testing in schools...

[DrLeftover]

This week, it's on to math - and a seven-page, pencil-and-paper test.

Standardized tests used to predict academic success and show deficiencies in a student's skills and abilities.





IN KINDERGARTEN!!!!

At least 25 states now mandate at least one formal assessment during kindergarten. Many local school districts require their own tests as well, starting just a few weeks into the academic year.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/25/us-usa-education-testing-idUSBRE88O05Y20120925









what say you?

 

[Fatal Dawn]

Firstly, I should note that my position when it comes to this topic might be a little biased as I don't share the same hesitations when it comes to education reform since the current public school system is far from perfect.



I think these reforms are a mixed bag. On one hand I find that a large problem of the education system is that schools often start building the foundation too late. This issue has the potential to create so much disparity when some kids are falling through the cracks because they simply haven't solidified the basics at an early stage. The article alluded to such a complication:

Advocates say it's vital to test early and often because too many kids fall irretrievably behind in their first years of schooling. The most recent national exams for fourth graders found just 34 percent proficient in reading and 40 percent proficient in math.

So, I find it somewhat 'good', because these efforts could possibly represent that more initiatives are being taken to address the aforementioned pitfalls and entrapment within the public school system. However, my qualm would be with the weight these tests are possibly given as an explicit reading of future success. It's far too early to be making those sort of predictions, and, at such a stage, it has the danger of producing 'self-fulfilling prophecies'. Therefor, I would be more comfortable with standardized testing used as a benchmark tool to detect deficiencies in learning early on so that they can be addressed in a constructive way.

 

[DrLeftover]

I would still like to point out that the kids are being taught all about drowning polar bears and vanishing rain forests.



But how many high school kids cannot read a basic article about an historical event and then write a coherent paragraph about what they have read.

 

[Evil Eye]

Testing that early is rubbish. I have a friend who knows all about early primary school impressions and standardised testing...

The most recent national exams for fourth graders found just 34 percent proficient in reading and 40 percent proficient in math.

Wow... what?! *looks up 4th grade problems.*

Hmm, that's some pretty decent math for primary school. It strikes me as odd that they're better at it than at reading, though. It's usually the other way around in my experience.

But if kids can't read their math problems, how're they supposed to solve them?

 

[Fatal Dawn]

I would still like to point out that the kids are being taught all about drowning polar bears and vanishing rain forests.



But how many high school kids cannot read a basic article about an historical event and then write a coherent paragraph about what they have read.

I don't really follow. At first it seemed to me that you were making a point about political indoctrination in schools.

Testing that early is rubbish. I have a friend who knows all about early primary school impressions and standardised testing...

Wow... what?! *looks up 4th grade problems.*

Hmm, that's some pretty decent math for primary school. It strikes me as odd that they're better at it than at reading, though. It's usually the other way around in my experience.

But if kids can't read their math problems, how're they supposed to solve them?

It's not that surprising. The U.S is pretty behind in education - especially in math. The system sets students up for failure. They don't teach us the basic concepts in primary school which places us in a vulnerable position later on life when we need to build on those concepts. Math is building of concepts and, as such, building the foundation at an early age is crucial.

 

[Evil Eye]

The US needs a lesson from Aruba, just saying...

Hm?

especially in math

They're trying to get people to be better at mathematics and English over here. I believe it was this year they'll start enforcing a rule that people have to achieve a minimum of 50% on maths, English and Dutch to graduate 'high school' at the highest level.

I heard a maths teacher complain about mathematics not being a required subject for the non-technical side of the middle level. He reasoned that primary school teachers were likely to be people who chose the non-technical path without maths and that they wouldn't be able to teach kids in primary school some basic mathematics