blog : Can We Just Stop Obsessing About Testing?

01/24/2011

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michele-somerville/10-million-for-children-l_b_810970.html

My good friend, Roger Passman declares, “Good Teaching Takes Care of Bad Testing”. In the midst of our current testing frenzy, we have lost sight of what really is important, great teaching. Preparing kids to take a test is not teaching; it’s training. We are beginning to see the damage that the testing obsession policies have had in the last ten years. Reports about college students who do not develop critical thinking skills and workers who can’t problem solve.

This can all change if we do commit to some simple basics. When I ask teachers what they need so that their students can be successful, this is what they tell me:

1. Materials so I can provide outstanding learning experiences. This means computers, IPads, pens, papers, books, desks, properly stocked science labs, and more. Just go to DonorsChoice.org and you can easily catalogue what teachers are begging for so they can effectively teach their students.

2. Support from the community. That means parents and those who don’t have kids, need to be involved in schools.

3. Class sizes. If teachers are to meet the needs of all of their students, reduce class sizes! It is unrealistic to expect a high school English teacher to provide individual student feedback if they have over 180 students assigned. The threats and punitive initiatives produced by excessive testing is not conducive to creating environments that foster teaching and learning.

For even more information on the history and potential damage of excessive testing, see www.fairtest.org

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