Testing for Intelligence

            What does a standardized test prove? This is the question that I answer when children take the standardized tests and they miss it by a few points and cannot be promoted to the next grade or graduate for that much. To me a standardized test is just something that the state has chosen to decide a child’s fate. Most children quit going to school once they have been held back due to a state tests. I have seen children make straight A’s all through school but fail the standardized tests. These tests have the power to keep graduates from taking the walk across the stage and getting their diploma. This is ridiculous because all these years children have been going through school passing, graduating, and accomplishing great things. How do these tests dictate how well a child is performing? Children learn and develop in different ways and I just feel that these tests do not control anything.  A test cannot dictate what children will learn, that is why they study.

            When conducting research I saw that in England they have a test that is considered a nationalized test that replaces the standard pencil and paper tests. This test is used as the children curriculum and is to help them learn as well as to contribute to their development. I just personally do not see how testing children determines their level in life. I can see and understand how it helps learn the learning patterns of the individual children because every child is different. This means that everyone has a different lifestyle and learning style. Children should only be tested to see what working level they are on so that the teacher can know exactly how to help them. I feel like the statement of letting children is children have completely been thrown out of the door.

References

Rotberg, I. (2006). Assessment Around the World. NCLB: Taking Stock, Looking Forward    Pages 58-63. Volume 64 | Number 3