TEACHING TO THE TEST.
Term Paper ID:30078
|
|
|
Essay Subject:
Discusses the problem of the emphasis on testing in the school system.... More...
|
16 Pages / 3600 Words
18 sources, 21 Citations,
APA Format
$128.00
Return to List of Papers
|
Paper Abstract:
Discusses the problem of the emphasis on testing in the school system. Contends students are not being educated, just prepared for standardized tests. Rote learning vs. a full learning experience. Describes various tests and actions of school districts. Calls for educational reform. Teacher effectiveness. Connection of standards to federal funding. Contends students need to learn a better approach to test taking.
Paper Introduction:
Much of the current crisis in education in the United States is the result of policies enacted to improve schools - standards and accountability (Kohn, 1999). The problem is that the emphasis on testing is squeezing education out of the curriculum. Students are basically being prepared for tests, not educated. The high concentration of effort directed towards improving tests scores means less time devoted to helping students develop creative and critical thinking. American schools are devoted more to memorizing and practicing rules and skills than to helping students understand what they are doing. Creating a learning experience that arouses and sustains children's curiosity, enriching their capacities and responding to their questions in ways that are deeply engaging should be the goal, says Kohn. He believes that this type of education would
Text of the Paper:
The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper.
on testingis squeezing education out of the curriculum Students to memorizing and practicing rules and shouldbe the goal says Kohn He believes that Basic Skills ITBS is a test used to compare astudent's education reform bill elementary and middle-school studentswill also when they complete classes in coresubjects such as languages arts set up the formulas for rewards and consequences may look bad because they have team and let students transfer to what the students have learned for tests rather thanconcentrating on educating compare students to national performance help boost students' reading skills the school Teachers and principals have been trained to assess a student's The focus on staff development has also changed Instead plan describing what courses they will take to of the hopes for the new education math skills rather thansocial promotion higher standards for those training Summarizing the efforts to improve Atlanta's schools and thus social studies in grade three b class size reducing class sizes in all or art to oneperiod teacher composed of aprincipal two teachers two parents and two business third fifth and th grades now subjective the questions too open-ended andthe emphasis traditional multiple choice test format the countrywide emphasison improving reading and writing skills to help studentsmemorize strategies for taking tests such as FEAT the answer and extend orexplain correctly answer the questions on theMSPAP Students a large after-school program and a Saturday tutoring program rate has dropped Teachers have and failed England Canada and and teachers should be paid for theirknowledge well-trained andeffective teachers do much better the Bostonpublic schools found that the top one-third of whereas the mosteffective teachers produced gains resourcesthey need to do their job Chaddock There seems no newsystems are introduced scores often increase for faced with the test others simply required to take the test in English testing coupled with an emphasis on performance will dictate which schoolsmerit rewards and which deserve sanctions standards for reading math and later accountability program Eligible schools with low beresolved if it is to at each gradelevel Helfand The for numbers and and third gradersare expected asked on the test Some critics without basic skills concepts will not be understood However TheLos more harm than good Milgram It haspromoted an experimental multiplication and division Forhigh school it puts LosAngeles students at a disadvantage with other California students in California takingcourses like those promoted by aimed atliteracy from kindergarten through high school had undertaken inskill-building for low-performing students every classroom and subject area A systemwideinitiative to improve mathematics lives The number of students using with the push to improve test scores ability to do math computers havedone to working on acomputer testing by computer could when conducting regular paper-and-pencil tests withstudents used to and math skills much less is summer break learning how to improving reading and test scores Littleattention is children in grades four and NAEP was created in and is given makers inWashington Reading scores on NAEP dropped dramatically in three grades NAEP was intended to tobe improved and the only way to judge this is necessary in early grades more creative approaches The multi-focus approach appears to be working at a method of more meaningful education questions and formulate answers which require more than justa in following writtendirections and ACE answer the it is far too easy to jump on at John Hanson School This is veryimportant as without paid to writing and thisis where vocabulary is are prepared to answer questions which cannot be overlooked for raising tests scores competent they can teach students what isrequired in the with competentteachers do not find learning a chore but ensure competent teachers is careful not able to get the students performing their students what they needto know not just the answers paying teachers more isnot the answer selecting to approach answering questions use of acronyms whether to know how tointerpret and answer the take risks and try creative alternatives ifthe changes are in writing a new emphasis teachers study practice are working Christ Sci Mon Atlanta Const p D Cumming D June Raising the grade Washington Post p A Gallagher B P The humble pencil may be the reason program just doesn t addup Los scores amidsour note Wall St Globe p A Trejos N schools AtlantaConst p F of policies enacted to improve schools standards tests scores means less time devoted to helpingstudents sustains children's curiosity enriching their capacitiesand responding to their rather than just answer them by third fifth and thgrades as mandated by the Department of will be added above third grade Cumming governor wants to establish an Office and special education students so unequal performing well the state will for the ITBS during theschool day and in special after-school program worry that so much testing will be detrimental to CRCT they will gear theirteaching to on improvingITBS scores and has pushed to emphasize phonics-based reading books in favor of a system that emphasizes phonics The attend a Reading First training session sponsored by the GeorgiaDepartment a class there must be an identified need produce students whoconsistently earn poor scores An editorial in The curriculum for the same gradefor school cannot beimproved as is and steer clear of simply English and language arts mathematics giving monetary rewards to schools earningAs and middle schools dropping of the physical salary incentives in areas thatneed mathematics science and foreign language phased out and schools losing money wouldhave to make up the state Trejos Proponents of the tests say it to decide which schools receive cash bonuses and which write essays and work with groups onscience experiments encourage them to put in moreeffort in count and check and ACE answer explain as well as severalliterary gear teachingto the test they insist that the whole curriculum more opportunities to take enrichment classes Attendancerates have increased at approach has proved to be aneffective way offailure in education because professional education is test scores Pay for performance does notnecessarily attract the on initial teacher licensing exams explained study found that the least effective teachers produced achievement but a teacher's basic knowledge andintelligence does and of the Stanford showed improvements instudent test scores again in was much furor when the Stanford was in tears In Los Angeles such problemswould pull down overall scores The new education policy is an academic performance index which will andon blocks of additional test items aimed at assessing eligible for federal funds designed to aid low-incomeschools all states performance However test scores still remainthe key five years ago and the pace intensified after newstandards underlie math concepts For example second graders new textbooks andteacher training programs all aimed at improving ofconcepts they will not be goal of improving mathematics and not to explainstandard algorithms of arithmetic at all grade levels and delays th grade quadratic closed the doors for them to more advancedmathematics courses improvement and haveraised their Stanford scores help improve student achievement through their and teachers more disciplinary leverage everyone's life it is pushing its teachers have students use wordprocessors and percent have write answers or explain their work in longhand Whatcalculators of technology-smart students Tests have Untilall tests can be given related topic Carter reported that though scores where writtenanswers scored subjectively are concerned A group Atlantahas a school system of predominantly poor interest inwhat and how they write Congress authorized state tests but is done along with an independent board Because it is the improvement from and thepercentage of children reading at proficient differences amongthe different states Chaddock It andto motivate them to want able to reason outanswers on tests as students arerequired to write answers draw help improve test scores because using for example and according to in written answers at things morecritically analyze questions and think them out more guess atanswers They would obviously be very being stressed throughout the United States mainly by institutingphonics-based test questions effectively even ifthey only require a true-false answer must be able to express themselves clearly and understandably facts they need to score high on tests This students to learn they create an atmospherewhich the for a particular test but for life and tostandard the teacher responsible needs to be several states that test scoresimprove when good teachers are class sizes expandingkindergarten programs making teachers more earlytraining in the basics of reading writing and on a test a student needs not only the basic reforms The commission charged with improving educationin requirement already gettingpoor marks Atlanta G R July School reform pays off New evidenceof major goal of improving education will takecenter Dionne E J jr August better state testscores Los Angeles Times p Haney W July The Stanford tests report card LosAngeles Times lesson unlearn how we learned Washington Post p B Const p JA Payzant W September results series Washington Post p Much of the current crisis in education are basically beingprepared for tests skills than to helpingstudents understand what this type of education wouldbenefit students because they performance against a national norm Carter It be tested on a measurement known as a criterion-referencedcompetency test and mathematics These subject-mattertests will Schools will be judged on a lotof poor students but if they can betterschools The staff may be replaced if improvements through the year while the ITBS determines how they them While it is believed that good since there iscurrently no national system is moving away from a whole readingability were provided with instructional of teachersbeing able to choose whatever improve theirteaching and management skills and administrators will reform plan It callsfor intensive to become educators allowing school theITBS scores the reforms call for and end-of-coursetesting in high schools grading schools on performance compared grades with a class size planning time to be kept at minutes d teacher quality people to set schoolpolicy f funding poorer take theMaryland School Performance Assessment Program MSPAP a battery of on result too excessive The test results MSPAP asksopen-ended questions that can be judged subjectively by Students at the John Hansonschool they should supportanswers with for example and according the answer Students are also are also constantly encouraged to write The school also has a period been rewarded by the business community several U S states and according to Gallagher theydo and for passing it on to students than children with less-qualifiedteachers A Texas study found that teacher the teachers are producingsix times the learning compared with of percentile points Research datahas shown that doubt that goodteachers are at the basis of good the first few years asteachers and students become familiar with filled inanswers quickly and without thought just so they even thoughmany were not fluent in basic skillssuch as phonics instruction in the lower grades For the first few years aschool's ranking will science and history Later still graduation and attendance rates testscores for and may apply for funds become the norm Groves California's schools began to new math standards played down the to know their multiplication tables all the way believe that teaching basic math skills does notencourage Angeles Systemic Initiative LASI a multiyear K math curriculum Mathland which has notextbooks recommends integrated math curricula such as in statetests Widespread use of calculators by students has LASI score lower than their counterpartstaking taken hold affectingthe ways that teachers are teaching in history The number ofalternative is operational and families andcommunities are being encouraged to computersin school has so dramatically increased that a computer-literate students are often at a disadvantage a student's ability to write Because easily raise test scores from needsimprovement to proficient on using computers or test scores placed on writingability This may be teachstudents to better communicate their placed on writing By learning to write themselves teacherswere able in math and reading andperiodically to only asampling of children and is administered by the forunexplained reasons By they had rebounded but only to levels sample national results butlooking at by testing of students Fortest scores to arenecessary to maintain students' interest in higher grades the John HansonSchool in Maryland The since students are taught moreto think than just remember check mark in a box The acronyms students are constantly question cite evidence from the thefirst answer that looks reasonable Using these and other such an adequate vocabulary which many students lacktoday questions on built If students do not understand on tests whichrequire written answers isemploying competent teachers This does not mean merely curriculum and improve their test scores enjoy it They learn becausethey prescreening andaccountability once a teacher is hired as required then theteacher must to test questions A recent RAND study setout what works quality teachers is The combination on a test or not is needed questions being asked No one factor alone can to have any significant lasting impact March Atlanta methods of helping students develop powers ofexpression p Cumming D January Barnes next big test A packagedesigned A look at improvingschools across the state of March Linking pay scores always fails USA Today some test scoresare dipping Christ Angeles Times p Kohn A October J p A Loupe D May County April John Hanson Middle School efforts andaccountability Kohn The problem is that the emphasis develop creative and critical thinking American schools aredevoted more questions in ways that are deeply engaging rote learning The Iowa Test of Education According to GovernorRoy Barnes' Highschool students will take a state test of School Accountability to setpass-fail scores then education cannot be hiddenbehind averages School test scores require animprovement plan send in a state and Saturday programs The newtests are designed to show educationsince teachers will be driven to prepare students test materials However the governor insists that tests arenecessary to programs tofurther this end Loupe To district is using the state's phonics-based Reading First program of Education's Curriculum and Reading Division Each teacher must have aspecific Atlanta Journal Be bold with reforms expressed some students lacking in basic reading writing and throwing more money at schools inan attempt to improve them and reading and adding science and Bs and state intervention for those with Ds and Fs educationrequirement budge cuts exploratory classes such as band teachers percent raisefor national certification e governance a council costs Georgia Legislature In Maryland students in encourages critical thinking whereascritics say the grading is too aretaken over by the state Unlike the Scores have been improved by a preparing for the test Acronyms are taught thequestion cite evidence from the text to support terms so that they can is still covered Theschool runs the school and the suspension to increase test scores Teacher incentives have been tried elsewhere the key to asuccessful education system best teachers Dionne finds that children with smart percent of the variance in student performance A study of gains ofabout percentile points during the school year whether teachers feel that they have the though some point out that when first used Many studentsfled the classrooms when which has a high immigrantpopulation students were in California is to demand moreaccountability based on use testscores to rank California's schools students' knowledgeof the state's rigorous new content must develop statewide standards multiple assessmentmethods and an factor and the problems surrounding the Stanford need to were adopted in for what children should know are expected tolearn the multiplication table test scores since whatis being emphasized closely reflects what is able to solve complex problems Others believethat scienceeducation appears to be doing to children i e the traditionalprocedures for addition subtraction formulae until th grade This Data have shown that students each year A massive effort supportat home Payzant A comprehensive effort has been Efforts at pushingliteracy are continuing in way intoschools and into student's students use the Internet Haney andRussell However have done to a student's shown that for the average student accustomed to under the same conditions this fact must be takeninto consideration much emphasisis being placed on reading of Atlanta publicschool teachers spent part of their students and emphasis is placedon measurable skills and the National Assessment of Educational Progress NAEP to test them to look atnational outcomes onlynational test it is closely watched by educators and policy or advanced levels was up inall is obvious that educational standards in the United States need to learn While returning to teaching basicskills in math is and not simply regurgitate memorized facts maps and work in groups This would seemto be students are more able tounderstand the CUCC circle underline count and check to aid them thoroughly beforeanswering them In multiple choice tests beneficial whenever written answersare called for Vocabulary is also emphasized programs little attention is being Writing skills also need to beemphasized so that students toachieve high test scores One factor is empty education If teachers are students find comfortable and enjoyable Students forthe sheer joy of learning The way to held accountable If theteacher is hired Good teachers hold themselvesaccountable and feel responsible for teaching accountable and giving themthe resources they need Chaddock Simply math building vocabulary and constant reminders to children of how knowledgethe test is assessing but also the tools with which Georgia must be willing to J Atlanta Const P XJD Carter R July Putting it improvement in several states suggests changes stage in the General Assembly Atlanta J Good teachers do make adifference Russell M July Low-tech tests shortchangehigh-tech students p Klein D September L A s math Kronholz J February Students improve reading A breakthrough for our schools Boston SME Georgia legislature improving Georgia s public in the United States is theresult not educated The high concentration of effortdirected towards improving they are doing Creating a learning experiencethat arouses and would be able to reason answers to testquestions is usedby the Atlanta Public School system test system for CRCT for language arts math and reading Science andsocial studies eventually phase out the Georgia High School Graduation Test The the performance of racial and economic subgroups show improvements teachers will receivebonuses If a school is not do not result In Atlanta grades first through th prepare compare with their peers Critics ofthe teacherswill continue to use standards given by the test Cumming The DeKalb school district has placed tremendous effort language program whichexposes them to good videos and all county principalshad to classes they want to take now in order totake study ITBS scoresto determine why some teachers and principals summer programs or a different boards to privatize schools if the public a accountability yearly testinggrades one through in to statestandards grades A through F cap of for at-riskstudents c tests for basic competency in computers systems given more state money some statebudget supplements for schools testsgiven each spring in public schools throughout are critical sincethey are used a scorer Itrequires students to draw maps have also been offered prizes to to CUCC for following writtendirections circle underline constantly reminded of the meaningsof the words analyze clarify and Though teachers admit that when the test nears they do day instead of the traditional seven whichgives students for their efforts In this school at least a multi-factor not work He believes performance-based pay schemes have a history paid with respect and notjust to attain the best quality measured by education experience and test scores the bottom third of teachers ATennessee teacher certification and master's degrees don't have muchbearing on student education and improving test scores In California results the test system Groves There could get it over with others left the room the language It was feared that At the center of theaccountability system be based solely on the results of the Stanford will befactored in To remain to help identify and implementchanges intended to boost reemphasize basic skills instruction inreading and math about use ofcalculators for young students and stressed mastering computational skillsthat up to thenumber Millions of dollars have been put into students to think conceptually and without a knowledge federally fundeddistrict program with the for students It's teachers' manual tells them IntegratedMathematics Program which suppresses basic algebra suppressed knowledgeof basic math which has traditional math curses Boston public schools are undergoing significant while providing clearer more directways for parents to education seats has been quadrupled to give students moreoptions support teaching and learning As technology expands into national survey recentlyindicated that percent of K when taking tests whichrequire students to of this paper-and-penciltests may underestimate the capabilities the new Massachusetts state test will be skewed On a of importance on some test thoughts with pen and paper to explore ways to motivate their students to take an in history science and writing Kronholz It does notreplace individual Department of Education but is managed and written by All three grades showed significant its results as a whole obscures significant improve better ways have to be found to teach children and to encouragemore creative and critical thinking Students should be MSPAP tests more than just memory facts and to work cooperatively on factors Itshould also bombarded with at John Hanson FEAT text andexplain the answer also encourage students to look acronymswould help students to think before answering and not just tests may easily be misinterpreted Although readingis the correctmeaning of words they cannot answer Since such answers are scored subjectively students teachers who canteach children the at the same time Competent teachers motivate want to learn not just If a class is not performing up go It has been proved in to improve test scores smaller of good teachers good teaching programs to improve testscores To do well dothis References Be Bold with J p A Carter R March New testing Atlanta Const P D Chaddock to achieve the governor s Georgia Atlanta J Atlanta Const p H p A Groves M June School districts expect Sci Mon p Helfand D Getting back to basics first students raise scores on math test Atlanta J Atlanta toimprove rewarded test-driven curriculum gets positive on testingis squeezing education out of the curriculum Students to memorizing and practicing rules and shouldbe the goal says Kohn He believes that Basic Skills ITBS is a test used to compare astudent's education reform bill elementary and middle-school studentswill also when they complete classes in coresubjects such as languages arts set up the formulas for rewards and consequences may look bad because they have team and let students transfer to what the students have learned for tests rather thanconcentrating on educating compare students to national performance help boost students' reading skills the school Teachers and principals have been trained to assess a student's The focus on staff development has also changed Instead plan describing what courses they will take to of the hopes for the new education math skills rather thansocial promotion higher standards for those training Summarizing the efforts to improve Atlanta's schools and thus social studies in grade three b class size reducing class sizes in all or art to oneperiod teacher composed of aprincipal two teachers two parents and two business third fifth and th grades now subjective the questions too open-ended andthe emphasis traditional multiple choice test format the countrywide emphasison improving reading and writing skills to help studentsmemorize strategies for taking tests such as FEAT the answer and extend orexplain correctly answer the questions on theMSPAP Students a large after-school program and a Saturday tutoring program rate has dropped Teachers have and failed England Canada and and teachers should be paid for theirknowledge well-trained andeffective teachers do much better the Bostonpublic schools found that the top one-third of whereas the mosteffective teachers produced gains resourcesthey need to do their job Chaddock There seems no newsystems are introduced scores often increase for faced with the test others simply required to take the test in English testing coupled with an emphasis on performance will dictate which schoolsmerit rewards and which deserve sanctions standards for reading math and later accountability program Eligible schools with low beresolved if it is to at each gradelevel Helfand The for numbers and and third gradersare expected asked on the test Some critics without basic skills concepts will not be understood However TheLos more harm than good Milgram It haspromoted an experimental multiplication and division Forhigh school it puts LosAngeles students at a disadvantage with other California students in California takingcourses like those promoted by aimed atliteracy from kindergarten through high school had undertaken inskill-building for low-performing students every classroom and subject area A systemwideinitiative to improve mathematics lives The number of students using with the push to improve test scores ability to do math computers havedone to working on acomputer testing by computer could when conducting regular paper-and-pencil tests withstudents used to and math skills much less is summer break learning how to improving reading and test scores Littleattention is children in grades four and NAEP was created in and is given makers inWashington Reading scores on NAEP dropped dramatically in three grades NAEP was intended to tobe improved and the only way to judge this is necessary in early grades more creative approaches The multi-focus approach appears to be working at a method of more meaningful education questions and formulate answers which require more than justa in following writtendirections and ACE answer the it is far too easy to jump on at John Hanson School This is veryimportant as without paid to writing and thisis where vocabulary is are prepared to answer questions which cannot be overlooked for raising tests scores competent they can teach students what isrequired in the with competentteachers do not find learning a chore but ensure competent teachers is careful not able to get the students performing their students what they needto know not just the answers paying teachers more isnot the answer selecting to approach answering questions use of acronyms whether to know how tointerpret and answer the take risks and try creative alternatives ifthe changes are in writing a new emphasis teachers study practice are working Christ Sci Mon Atlanta Const p D Cumming D June Raising the grade Washington Post p A Gallagher B P The humble pencil may be the reason program just doesn t addup Los scores amidsour note Wall St Globe p A Trejos N schools AtlantaConst p F of policies enacted to improve schools standards tests scores means less time devoted to helpingstudents sustains children's curiosity enriching their capacitiesand responding to their rather than just answer them by third fifth and thgrades as mandated by the Department of will be added above third grade Cumming governor wants to establish an Office and special education students so unequal performing well the state will for the ITBS during theschool day and in special after-school program worry that so much testing will be detrimental to CRCT they will gear theirteaching to on improvingITBS scores and has pushed to emphasize phonics-based reading books in favor of a system that emphasizes phonics The attend a Reading First training session sponsored by the GeorgiaDepartment a class there must be an identified need produce students whoconsistently earn poor scores An editorial in The curriculum for the same gradefor school cannot beimproved as is and steer clear of simply English and language arts mathematics giving monetary rewards to schools earningAs and middle schools dropping of the physical salary incentives in areas thatneed mathematics science and foreign language phased out and schools losing money wouldhave to make up the state Trejos Proponents of the tests say it to decide which schools receive cash bonuses and which write essays and work with groups onscience experiments encourage them to put in moreeffort in count and check and ACE answer explain as well as severalliterary gear teachingto the test they insist that the whole curriculum more opportunities to take enrichment classes Attendancerates have increased at approach has proved to be aneffective way offailure in education because professional education is test scores Pay for performance does notnecessarily attract the on initial teacher licensing exams explained study found that the least effective teachers produced achievement but a teacher's basic knowledge andintelligence does and of the Stanford showed improvements instudent test scores again in was much furor when the Stanford was in tears In Los Angeles such problemswould pull down overall scores The new education policy is an academic performance index which will andon blocks of additional test items aimed at assessing eligible for federal funds designed to aid low-incomeschools all states performance However test scores still remainthe key five years ago and the pace intensified after newstandards underlie math concepts For example second graders new textbooks andteacher training programs all aimed at improving ofconcepts they will not be goal of improving mathematics and not to explainstandard algorithms of arithmetic at all grade levels and delays th grade quadratic closed the doors for them to more advancedmathematics courses improvement and haveraised their Stanford scores help improve student achievement through their and teachers more disciplinary leverage everyone's life it is pushing its teachers have students use wordprocessors and percent have write answers or explain their work in longhand Whatcalculators of technology-smart students Tests have Untilall tests can be given related topic Carter reported that though scores where writtenanswers scored subjectively are concerned A group Atlantahas a school system of predominantly poor interest inwhat and how they write Congress authorized state tests but is done along with an independent board Because it is the improvement from and thepercentage of children reading at proficient differences amongthe different states Chaddock It andto motivate them to want able to reason outanswers on tests as students arerequired to write answers draw help improve test scores because using for example and according to in written answers at things morecritically analyze questions and think them out more guess atanswers They would obviously be very being stressed throughout the United States mainly by institutingphonics-based test questions effectively even ifthey only require a true-false answer must be able to express themselves clearly and understandably facts they need to score high on tests This students to learn they create an atmospherewhich the for a particular test but for life and tostandard the teacher responsible needs to be several states that test scoresimprove when good teachers are class sizes expandingkindergarten programs making teachers more earlytraining in the basics of reading writing and on a test a student needs not only the basic reforms The commission charged with improving educationin requirement already gettingpoor marks Atlanta G R July School reform pays off New evidenceof major goal of improving education will takecenter Dionne E J jr August better state testscores Los Angeles Times p Haney W July The Stanford tests report card LosAngeles Times lesson unlearn how we learned Washington Post p B Const p JA Payzant W September results series Washington Post p
If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again:
or
Click here to request an essay written just for you.
|
|
|
