teach1...you hit the nail on the head with the way testing is formatted...
I have a friend whose son is dyxlexic (a word I can't spell) but who is a math whiz, doing calculus in 7th grade. He failed his math TAKS test. Why? Because even with a 502 plan in place, no provisions were made for him. On the retake, with the required provisions in place, he got a commended. With his learning disability, even the practice tests are supposed to be done with the required provisions, none are.
Also, standardized testing is difficult for very bright children because they often think outside the box. A straight forward multiple choice question may have more than one correct answer for a well read, exceptionally bright child.
Standardized testing makes the curriculum smaller, based on only what is on the test and not allowing teachers freedom to adjust to the students needs. Here in Texas, you can't teach any science concepts that are in a higher year's curriculum. You can't advance a concept in class, or for a group of students if that concept is to be taught in the next grade. Standardized tests are not about generalized learning or the ability to learn, they are about how a child has learned a specific subject, taught in a specific way. The writing style that works for the TAKS test here overly florid, and awards "WOW" words. A tight, contained, spare style of writing doesn't pass for fourth grade. They also only test narrative writing, all other writing or styles are not tested. This means a florid, narrative style of writing is ALL that is focused on because that is what is needed to pass the test. My kid, who is good at math, didn't do very well on some standardized testing, because he really didn't get why he should have to fill out all the silly place part boxes for ones, tens, and hundreds to add the numbers together. He just added, all the rest wasn't important to him. His homework was frustrating because of the expectations of work at a level that he was far ahead of.
I have a friend whose son is dyxlexic (a word I can't spell) but who is a math whiz, doing calculus in 7th grade. He failed his math TAKS test. Why? Because even with a 502 plan in place, no provisions were made for him. On the retake, with the required provisions in place, he got a commended. With his learning disability, even the practice tests are supposed to be done with the required provisions, none are.
Also, standardized testing is difficult for very bright children because they often think outside the box. A straight forward multiple choice question may have more than one correct answer for a well read, exceptionally bright child.
Standardized testing makes the curriculum smaller, based on only what is on the test and not allowing teachers freedom to adjust to the students needs. Here in Texas, you can't teach any science concepts that are in a higher year's curriculum. You can't advance a concept in class, or for a group of students if that concept is to be taught in the next grade. Standardized tests are not about generalized learning or the ability to learn, they are about how a child has learned a specific subject, taught in a specific way. The writing style that works for the TAKS test here overly florid, and awards "WOW" words. A tight, contained, spare style of writing doesn't pass for fourth grade. They also only test narrative writing, all other writing or styles are not tested. This means a florid, narrative style of writing is ALL that is focused on because that is what is needed to pass the test. My kid, who is good at math, didn't do very well on some standardized testing, because he really didn't get why he should have to fill out all the silly place part boxes for ones, tens, and hundreds to add the numbers together. He just added, all the rest wasn't important to him. His homework was frustrating because of the expectations of work at a level that he was far ahead of.
