If our kids had more free time at school, what would you want them to do with it?

A) Learn to play a musical instrument?
B) Study a new language?
C) Learn how to code HTML?
D) Take more standardized tests?

This was the question that President Obama posed in a recent video that the White House released, addressing the issue of the over-testing of students across America.

The president went on to talk about the inspirational teachers that he had as a child, and how they taught him to believe in himself, and while that's all well and good, I think he skimmed over some of the key flaws in the culture of standardized tests that exists in the American educational system.

I'm thrilled that Obama is acknowledging that this is a problem and is trying to do something to remedy it, but I just wanted to take this opportunity to delve a little deeper into the issues at hand. So here are a few more thoughts on the problems with standardized tests in America:

They leave no room for creativity

Yes, math is important. No one is denying that. But, here’s a thought…so is art.

Crazy, I know, but bear with me here. Most employers, in addition to wanting individuals with good test scores and high GPAs, want someone with ingenuity. Someone who is inventive, forward thinking, and–wait for it–creative. Not only that, but also numerous studies over the years have shown that students who engage with creative pursuits like art and music also tend to be better students in general.

They ignore diversity

Fact. Human beings are indeed not computers, robots, or any other form of programmable devices. We all have vastly different backgrounds, learning styles, and ways of interpreting the world, and tests simply cannot capture that. How can you give a child a passage from a text and ask them to analyze it, and then tell them that their own personal response has to align with one of four options provided? More than that, how can a student with a learning disability be expected to take the same test as everyone else? Humans don’t work that way, and the sooner we realize that the better our education system will be.

They are not representative of the real world

In the real world, your intelligence is not based on whether you can write an essay on an impossibly complex topic with no background research in approximately 20 minutes. No one judges you on whether or not you can sit in a classroom for three hours straight and not make a sound. The whole premise of standardized tests is flawed. The real world allows you to do research to ensure that you’re informed on topics. It allows you to collaborate, think outside the box, and at the very least get some fresh air or listen to music while you work. If we don’t expect adults to sit in a room all day and not talk to anyone, why do we think that an eight-year-old will be able to do it?

They incentivize the wrong thing

When a student is given a test and told that it is the single measure of how intelligent they are, and when a teacher is told that that same test is the single measure of how good they are at their job, it will inevitably lead to an unpleasant and ineffective learning environment for both. Where teachers used to come up with fun activities, teach supplemental materials, and try to make the educational process interesting for their students, they are now forced to spend an entire year teaching to the test. Likewise, whereas students used to actually learn in school, their only focus now is memorizing information long enough to do well on their test. They don’t care about learning, they care about test scores, and that is in part because of standardized testing and the general standardization of the learning process.

They create unnecessary stress

Stress, especially in young children, can have extremely damaging emotional, psychological, and even physical ramifications. Even more than that, it can inhibit their developmental and learning potential. IT CAN LITERALLY IMPEDE THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN. So why do we insist on giving them these tests that do nothing but cause stress and anxiety? And why do we insist on telling them that that one measure of their ability will determine their entire future. It’s more than unreasonable–it’s harmful.

They offer no suggestions for improvement

Much like that one family member that you only see two or three times a year, but every time they find ways to criticize you and make you feel generally terrible about yourself. Standardized tests are really good at telling people that they aren’t good enough, but offer little to no feedback on how to improve themselves.