The article, "Racial Justice Is Not a Choice," states that the origins of standardized testing were to prove that the white population was above all other races in intelligence. From advocating for white supremacy to justifying race based achievement gaps, standardized testing has proven to be a very controversial issue. Till this day the issue is still discussed in which standardized testing is used, not for the greater good of the student, but to unjustly hold teachers and students accountable for making the school go under budget cuts or convert into charter schools. What the system is saying is that students are defined by a number and teaching is defined by that number score as well.
The article also goes into how “a model of assessment aimed at racial justice would begin by recognizing that students of color have been hurt by institutionalized racism and white supremacy in our schools and that our current assessments have perpetuated this hurt” (Wayne Au, Racial Justice Is Not a Choice, pg. 3).
My question to you is, in what other ways have assessments perpetuated all students? This fragment is clearly going into how assessments have been detrimental to students of color but can you think of other ways standardized testing has damaged a student?
Another question I would like to address is that the article also quotes that “There are race-based gaps in standardized test scores. Closing those gaps should be the goal for achieving racial equality in education” (Wayne Au, Racial Justice Is Not a Choice, pg 2). Would closing these gaps achieve racial equality? What other ways can we promote racial equality in the classroom or school setting?
And finally I would like to close off by asking: Does standardized testing truly provide an accurate measurement of our teaching and learning? In your future careers how would you approach standardized testing to your students?
Have a fundiddlytastic weekend and I look forward to reading your responses!!
In my opinion, closing the gap would not achieve racial equality generally or in education because students achieving high test scores doesn't break the racist structures that are in place. We can promote racial equality in the classroom/school setting by having all staff be knowledgeable about these structures (which can be inside and outside the classroom but should also include concepts like internalized racism that address how one can unintentionally do harm), but also have staff that believe it's important to teach this, are willing to learn, and are willing to change. Ideally, this progressive attitude should be part of the atmosphere and culture of the school.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that standardized testing is an accurate reflection of teaching and learning. From my experiences, I've seen that understanding how to think logically (and confidence) can help students with math standardized testing. If they are confident in their logical reasoning and problem solving then they'll have less anxiety going into an exam. Plus, I think that students should be given the best chance for success during these stressful skills, so ideally students will be given food and water before the exam, and have the exam scheduled at a later time (and have transportation available) so that students can be more prepared by being well-rested.
Besides the structuralized racism aspect, standardized testing has damaged the mental health of students. The rigorous cycle of high stakes tests, has caused students to develop test anxiety. As students spend hours studying while worrying they will fail and having high emotions of nervousness once test day comes by. These two components affect the students' academic achievement.(Steinmayr, Crede, McElvany, Wirthwein 2016). Students shouldn't feel as if their world will crash down because of one test. Yes, these tests may help students achieve a great, successful academic life. But students should not have to endure this pain for a test.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Romana, closing these gaps wouldn't achieve racial equality. The educational system is too complex for this issue to be easily solved. Closing achievement gap wouldn't be sufficient. But to promote racial equality, our classrooms would be the way to start. We can have conversations with staff about how to beat the cycle of structuralized racism within our school systems and what changes to implement that'll successfully have students academically achieve in their future. Promoting progress is the best way to go.
I believe standardized testing isn't accurate about the measurement of our teaching and learning. As it misses the organic sense of learning students experienced within the classroom. The test cares if the student is able to fill in a bubble that answers the question and not if the student comprehends or is actually learning in class. Students are just a score when it comes to these tests, they're not looked at as a person. Even though I don't like standardized testing. I'm going to have to prepare my students when they take an AP U.S history or World History exam. Those are standardized tests that I need my students to do well
on if they want college credit in the future because let's face it most take it to avoid taking the class once they reach college. Anyways, I would approach these tests by having my students take past versions of test either in class or after school. During these mock tests, I would of course provide snacks/water and encourage students to do their best. Since experiencing the same testing environment a test will make the students feel more comfortable with exams. As a guide, I'd provide my students strategies on how to answer questions whether it be multiple choice or essay. These types strategies helped me when I took those exams in high school. Lastly, I would use the seven successful testing tips I learned in psychology. Some tips include having a good night sleep before the test, eat well before the test, lightly review material the night before,etc. Surely, I still would need more tips to ensure my students will do well on these types of tests.
Steinmayr, R., Crede, J., McElvany, N., & Wirthwein, L. (2016). Subjective well-being, test anxiety, academic achievement: Testing for reciprocal effects. Frontiers in psychology, 6, 1994.
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ReplyDeleteStandardized testing can have all kinds of negative impacts on students. There is always a lot of anxiety and fear of doing poorly on these kinds of tests. Even just the setting where these tests are administered can be very uncomfortable and put students at a disadvantage before they even turn the first page. These are just some of the effects these tests have on students and these would include all races. I remember it always being intimidating when they would start to read out the script before the test began.
DeleteI do not think that closing the “race-base gaps in standardizes test scores” would necessarily implement racial equality in education. Just like everyone here has said before, the real problem lies within the system itself. We need to be more welcoming of each other’s cultures. We need to offer the proper support for those who need it. We need to try to bring down any language barriers and be more empathetic and understanding of our students’ struggles. We also need to realize that standardize testing does not define our students’ academic abilities. Students should not feel so much pressure to do well on these singular tests. They should be given more opportunities to prove their unique abilities. We should consider other means of assessment so that our students can feel valued and actually motivated to learn. For now, I believe we should try to ease the anxiety and pressure of these tests on our students. Providing them with a more welcoming settings for these tests would be a start. Also, giving them an encouraging speech before they begin and afterwards so that they do not feel like its life or death with these tests.