http://www.greatschools.org/parenting/teaching-values/645-stressed-out-kids.gs
This article brings up the issue of stress being caused by standardized testing. The article states that even kindergarten students are feeling the stress, not so much by the testing, but by homework inflicted on them at such an early age. This article states that in some states, testing begins as early as first grade. I realize the US is behind academically, but is this type of stress really the answer? This article also states that the number of children treated for depression between 1995 and 2001 more than doubled. What are we doing to our children (not to mention our teachers)?
This article also talks about students taking AP courses in high school. According to the article, more students are taking these courses and students are also taking the PSAT, SAT and ACT multiple times. I know my daughter is currently taking her third AP course. The work required may be more than any I have taken in a college course. All the while she is trying to stay involved in clubs and volleyball. All so this will look good on her college applications. Meanwhile, she is staying up until 12 pm or 1 am in the morning trying to complete assignments and to study for tests which she is fearful she may not pass.
I see my own students struggling to pass their grade. They may do fine in a classroom setting, but completely panic when it comes to taking a test. What happens if they happen to have a bad day on the day of EOG. Should they fail because of one test? I hope we can soon come up with a better system for both ensuring our children are meeting standards as well as helping them succeed in school.
Nancy,
ReplyDeleteAmen! I really enjoyed reading this article and your comments on it. I have friends with older children and have been shocked at the amount of work they are being given! These students are tying to balance this with extra curricular activities, jobs, and applying for colleges. Testing so early is getting ridiculous! Our school starts with standardized testing in first grade and administrators make a HUGE deal out of it! The students become stressed and have even cried! Being so young, these students have never had exposure to these kinds of test...so that may be the cause of them not doing well. I was never a kid who tested well, but did well in class. It's not right! Thanks for your post. :)
Nancy,
ReplyDeleteI agree. Both of my children don't test well, they have test anxiety and both have had to "pay" in some form because of their test anxiety. My daughter is a straight A student but is in a reading class because her MAP score states that her reading level is low, Hmmmmm....test anxiety. My son struggles constantly on tests. Our district has gone to Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum (GVC's) which are 30% of the students grade. So if they don't test well and their grade is highly dependent on doing well on the GVC's they struggle in the class(es).
I believe our students are getting tested so much and at such a young age that we are headed for difficult times.
Wendy