I can see Nate’s argument on the high emphasis that is placed on standardized tests. I remember throughout my methods courses there was a great emphasis on how to make learning “FUN.” We had to take lesson plans and twist and turn them so students would be engaged and it would be a fun game. Nevertheless, while I was completing my student teaching, I was trying each night to turn and twist the overscheduled teaching tasks for the week, into games and it was impossible. The demands were too high on what had to be covered each week to check off everything on a list at the end of the year. I often times wondered, “I can see why children don’t understand. You cover something one day and expect them to convert it to long term memory and on to something new the next day.” I also got to witness the preparation that is incorporated into preparing for the end of the year test. It is like a mad house of drill! The kids are so sick of tests by the time the actual test arrives; they really don’t care about performance. It is really a sad situation.

On the other hand, I read Jim Ellsworth’s comment on Nate’s post, and I can see the other side of the standardized tests as well. I often times comment on the Praxis test that is required for teachers. I know there is a writing portion of the test that is nothing but essay. I remember while I was waiting for the results of my exam, I kept hoping that I had a person that graded easily on the writing portion of the test. What was the criterion for scoring that portion of the test? Did the same person score hundreds of tests from all over the state of Kentucky to make it fair? Of course not—there were a party of people that scored that particular section of the test. How do I know that another person of the scoring party may have disliked my responses to the prompts and failed me? I have often times thought about this—is there a fair system in the form of standardized tests?

I guess the idea with a norm referenced test is to compare data and attempt to make the best possible learning environment possible—although I don’t always see the results of this. In addition, the multiple-choice part of the tests makes it easier to grade and each test taker has an equal opportunity at the answer (a, b, c, or d)—if all tests were essay would that make it fair? In the same way, if a child randomly guesses on the multiple-choice test and gets the answer right—can that measure the child’s understanding of the material? This is a very sensitive subject in the schools and there are two sides to the issue. I guess as an educator, it is our responsibility to make the best of the situation and to learn to be crafty and incorporate fun learning into the system even though it is on a rushed schedule to meet National Standard Guidelines.