Assessing the Damage: What students should know about tests like Smarter BalancedThe Educator’s Room. By Guest Writer Jessica Classen “But I’ve passed all my classes!
I mean, I should be able to graduate. Will I have to go summer school? Will I not be able to walk? What happens?” In my calmest teacher voice, I assured Adam, and those sitting around him whose faces indicated their shared fear, that this particular score was not the be all and end all, there were other paths, other options. “But if I don’t get work samples done in time?” “It would mean summer school, but I don’t think it will come to that. After my promises, he seemed pacified, but I couldn’t help but wonder if my words had been empty. Collateral Damage. In wartime, before ordering any military action, strategists must analyze all tactics for the possibility of inflicting collateral damage.
A Revelation Wow. Earlier that day, I had polled my students, juniors who have the “honor” of being the first class to take the testing behemoth that is Smarter Balanced. 1. These students knew that they were expected to fail. Shared Panic. Dear WaPo: Opt Out Is NOT the Wrong Answer. Why?
Just.... why?? When the media need somebody to comment on modern surgical techniques, editors do not bark out, "Find me a surgeon with a super-high mortality rate who left the profession in disgrace! " ESPN bosses do not holler, "Find me a failed t-ball coach to do commentary for pro football! " And yet, time and again, media outlets call on the queen of mediocre mouth-taping TFA classroom temping, the sultaness of testing shenanigans, a woman who has never done anything successfully in education (except make money), she-who-must-not-be-named, to provide expert commentary on the education issues of the day. Today it was the Washington Post providing column inches so that she could tell us that Opting Out of Standardized Tests is the Wrong Answer. Let's start with false analogies, shall we: No, tests are not fun — but they’re necessary. Except that the current crop of Standardized Tests are not like stepping on a scale or going to the dentist.
I am not a Systems True Devotee. Yes!! No. The National Center for Fair & Open Testing. The Best Posts On How To Prepare For Standardized Tests (And Why They’re Bad) Check out excerpt from my book, Self-Driven Learning, “Ethical and Effective Test Prep” It’s approaching the time in many states when our students will have to take annual standardized tests.
I’ve written quite a few posts about how I prepare my students to take them, as well as posts writing about how bad the tests are. I thought I’d bring them all together in one “The Best…” list. I’ve made it quite clear that our school we intentionally do little explicit “test-prep” work with our students. Instead, we believe the work we do during the entire year prepares them to be lifelong learners and that will show-up in test results. Please feel free to offer suggestions for other good resources on how to prepare students for the tests, or pieces that show why the tests are bad.
You might also be interested in A Beginning “The Best…” List Of Free & Decent Online Practice Sites For State Tests — Help Me Add More! Test-Taking Strategies Testing Time Getting Into A “Smart” Frame Of Mind on Test-Days.