Recently it occurred to me that our local schools are paying more attention to state-regulated standardized test scores than the students' grade point averages. When did this become such a big concern in public schools? The students' test scores determine what grade the school itself gets, and, obviously, they want to look good on these scoring reports. So in turn, they push the students so hard they forget what they learned throughout the year, which isn't a good or logical thing.
When I was younger, I always thought the tests were fun. But when it gets to the point where teachers penalize you for not scoring high enough on them just because it makes them look bad, that's when an intervention needs to take place. Someone needs to step up and show these people that getting high scores on randomized tests will not help these kids out in the real world. It just doesn't work like that.
It's difficult for some children to take tests. The anxiety of it all just really takes a toll on them mentally and physically. That's literally just taking the test. That doesn't include the pressure being piled on them by their school's administrative officials. It's ridiculous.
Actual teaching should still mean something in modern-day classrooms. The kids should retain the information taught to make it easier to further their education, not to do better on tests with hundreds of randomized questions that could be over their grade level.
Teachers deserve some recognition. They don't get very much of a say in things when it comes to the information they are given to teach. They can choose the manner in which they administer the information to the kids, but what they teach isn't up to them. That is all decided by the state's Department of Education, and sometimes even the United States Department of Education.
If we had just one person in government who would stand up and say something, it would make a huge difference. Because, as we have seen before, when one person speaks up, the rest who support the issue are sure to follow, no matter what the situation is.
I personally think changing the face of public schools and what information is taught would make history. It would make such a huge difference if what the kids are taught could help them out later in life when the classes they take are not based on testing. I hope before I have kids of my own there will be an intervention in the education systems around America. To the teachers who speak out about this dilemma, I thank you for trying to change the system for the better. Together we all can make a difference for the children of the future.
