Quote:
Originally Posted by JumpinJesus
Schools grasp at any straws they can when it comes to standardized tests.
The reality is that if the students weren't prepared before the test, chewing some Doublemint will not suddenly make a failing student pass, nor will it raise test scores across the board by giving the entire student body a stick of gum on test day.
What might help test performance is if we stop putting so much pressure on these students to perform for our benefit.
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And for what benefit? The only thing a standardized test measures is a student's ability to take a test at that precise point in time. It doesn't really measure anything worth measuring. What good is a miniscule snapshot of a student's learning to me, when their body of knowledge and their ability to use it is constantly changing? As an assessment method, it's terrible.
And no, gum chewing shouldn't be allowed during a test. But as JJ suggested, there is so much pressure for schools to perform that they'll try anything to improve their scores. This pressure gets passed on to the kids. But I find it hypocritical and inconsistent for them to allow gum chewing on test day but at no other time. Consistency in modeling good behavior is key to teaching children good behavior; making exceptions to long-standing rules goes against that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MSD
There should be a break between sections of the test where students are given voodoo dolls of the people who came up with NCLB and have to practice the social skill of sharing because there's only one flamethrower and one crossbow.
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I like that idea.