CRCT testing

I hate state standardized testing for our kids! I hated it when I was younger and I hate it now as a parent of kids going through it. This year, I have 3 kids taking it in grades 2, 3 & 5. From what I'm reading, only 3, 5 & 8 must pass. It looks like, from the researching I've done today, that 3rd graders must pass the reading section, 5th must pass the reading and math and 8th must pass all. Fortunately, my 3rd graders will be fine and my other 2 don't really have to pass it at all, but that doesn't take the stress off. The teachers push these kids so hard, creating so much stress on them, because when it comes down to it, it looks good or bad for them based on how their class scores.

There HAS to be a better way than this. How about the obscene amounts of homework they get, the testing they take all year long, the projects and assignment? In the big scheme of things, these grades and assignments are a waste of time. The long nights of studying so my child can pass a test with a good grade, doesn't hold weight if he fails the CRCT. The CRCT website states "The CRCT is designed to measure how well students acquire the skills and knowledge described in the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC)". Truth is, and they can't state this, is not anything to do with our children and how they learn, but how teachers are teaching. If my child is one of the ones who learns more hands on, then something like Social Studies, where it's all book knowledge, he will continue to struggle with. If the testing was truly about HIM, they would see the results, and figure out a way to help him. In this type of testing, there will ALWAYS be kids who are falling behind. Not all kids learn the same, not all test the same. Testing anxiety is a major issue with this type of testing. Kids have such pressure put on them, that they totally freak out when they go in to the test. I know, because I deal with this myself in my classes at school.

I agree that there needs to be testing done, how about we just get back to the days where kids pass or fail based on their performance in their classes. If they meet the requirements with a C in the classes, they pass, if not, they don't. Why is it so complicated and stressful these days to be a kid?

For my 6th grader, I have been on the phone several times a month with her and discussing my sons performance. I try to be an involved parent, but she was giving homework that not only was my son struggling with, but my husband and I were too. My son said that there were several of his friends whose parents were doing the homework FOR them! The teacher and I discussed this and I reminded her that WE, as parents, are NOT the ones in school. Her response was that they are preparing for the CRCT and that this is the mandatory work required.

According to a recent study, "Evidence is mounting that for a growing number of schools, teaching is being redefined as test preparation. Seventy-nine percent of teachers surveyed by Education Week said they spent "a great deal" or "somewhat" of their time instructing students in test-taking skills, and 53 percent said they used state practice tests a great deal or somewhat." This was taken from a great article on why Standardized Testing is FAILING our children! The 7 reasons listed were:
1. At-Risk Students Placed at Greater Risk...this has to do with not having as many resources in their homes. MUCH of my children's preperation for their testing was done online. There was a point where we disconnected our cable and internet for a bit, and the kids really struggled because all their work was done on the internet. How do inner city kids prepare for this? Answer is, the don't. And they continue to struggle and eventually fail.

2. Lower Graduation Rates. "Grade-by-grade testing and graduation tests actually increase school dropouts. A Harvard University study found that students in the bottom 10 percent of achievement were 33 percent more likely to drop out of school in states with graduation tests. "

3. Higher Test Scores Do Not Mean More Learning. THis has to do with the above information about teachers gearing to the testing and not actually teaching. The article states "n one school, for example, students were taught to cheer "Three in a row? No, No, No!" The cheer was a reminder that if students answered "c" three times in a row, probably at least one of those answers is wrong since the test maker is unlikely to construct three questions in a row with the same answer letter.

Although this kind of test preparation may boost scores, it does not necessarily produce real gains in understanding that show up on other tests or performance measures or that students can apply in a nontesting situation".

4. Standardized Testing Shrinks the Curriculum. "Educator Alfie Kohn advises parents to ask an unusual question when a school's test scores increase: "What did you have to sacrifice about my child's education to raise those scores?"

5. When Tests Fail. "Tests themselves are often flawed, and high-stakes errors be-come high-stakes disasters."

6. Teacher Stress. "While teachers support high standards, they object to learning being measured by a single test. Not surprisingly, in a national study, nearly seven in ten teachers reported feeling test-stress, and two out of three believed that preparing for the test took time from teaching important but non-tested topics"

7. What's Worth Knowing? "The fact that history, drama, the arts and a host of subjects are given less attention in the current testing movement raises intriguing curricular questions: What is really important to teach'? What is worth knowing?" Remember that those who don't know history or doomed to repeat it.

It's time we get back to teaching the core subjects and raising our standards IN the classroom. I wish this was an easy fix, but unfortunately it's not. No Child Left Behind was a great concept, but many have been left behind. Standardized Testing was a great idea, but it's not working! It's time to look for a new way and a brighter future for our kids.

Information taken from http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Test_Problems_Seven/?page=2