Is there an insane emphasis on testing at your child's school?

[ajwomic]

I am so frustrated with the emphasis on testing here in our SC district. They take the map test 3x a year and the state (PASS) test. This is 3 full weeks with just testing total. Plus all I hear is how we are preparing for Pass, reviewing for PASS, incentives for pass, "No we cannot teach that, it is not on Pass." etc.

I have my master in education and I did not go into this field to prepare kids for a test, but to educate them. We have lost our way! Instead of learning for the intrinsic value and to be educated citizens, we are teaching them that we learn to pass a test. And the only things of value to learn is what is being tested 4 days in May. I am seriously considering private school because of this, but there are cons there too. (Cost and lack of accountability)

We no longer teach cursive, very little science and SS. Heavy emphasis on the math and reading, no foreign language, no composers or famous Americans, or States/Capitals, and this list goes on.
Has anyone else got fed up? Are other states this extreme??
Thanks for listening!!
AW

 

[golfgal]

Not at all. The Freshman take a pre-ACT test in the fall, the sophomores take the writing component of the GRAD standard tests (required to graduate) that is one day, the juniors take the math portion of the same test for one day and then they have 3 days of "standardized" testing that all kids 9-11 take. They don't "teach to the test" here either, which is REALLY nice. Some of the teachers are offering test taking strategy classes after school and some offer free prep classes for the ACT/SAT after school as well.

ok, we just got an email update on the testing, it is 2 days (but only for 3 hours each day), not one, for 9-11th. Seniors don't have to report to school until after 3rd hour because they are not testing.

 

[FINFAN]

our district just added 2 "practice testing days"...I find it mildly amusing that schools stress how students are responsible for their own success....yet the kids keep getting more and more days of the right to learn taken away. If kids had a say so in how their education is implemented, were able to have input on the curricullum I bet there would be improvement and overall less practice testing would be needed. Kid would find a way that interests them so they actually learn the stuff, not just be brainwashed for standardized testing.

 

[Donaldswife]

Yes!!!!! I live in Indiana and all the public schools are all about testing! Every bit of what they do has to do with being ready for the tests.....whatever happened to instilling a love of learning for learning's sake? My daughter is only in second grade, and they don't test until third grade, and even now everything is "they will need to know this when they start testing next year." Drives me insane!!!!!

 

[MM27]

I teach in an urban area of NJ and my district has failed to meet AYP several times in the 10 years I've been there. Testing is a huge issue and there is a large emphasis on it starting in the beginning of the year. At the end of the year when the test scores come back, we are called in to meet with the principal as a grade level and individually he goes through our test scores. We have to explain why certain kids didn't pass, what interventions we took during the course of the year and what changes we are going to make to instruction for the next school year.

It's a shame that it has come to this, but when you look at states like Florida where they are going to tie teacher performance to standardized test scores and student performance, you are going to find even more of this.

 

[bellebud]

before we started homeschooling last year, my ds8 and dd10 were in a private catholic school. Starting about 2 or 3 years ago, even K students had to take a standardized "test" (it used to start in 3rd grade before that), and if they were sick that day (or the few days the test was spread out over), we HAD to have a doctors note for them missing THE test (remember, this is for K - these kids were just "tested" to "get into" K a few months prior. what could this test possibly have on it???). Can you imagine... my dd was 4yo starting K because of the school's cut off date, so she would have been just 5yo taking this TEST... and god forbid she had a stomach bug any of those testing days... me dragging my throwing up 5yo to the ped's office to get a note. All because of a silly test.

That was the beginning of the end for me allowing an institution to educate my children (public or private). There are too many other things to list that led us to homeschooling, but we're happy as clams now. The kids are doing spanish now, something they wouldn't have had until 9th grade if we stayed in our school. We do 'living history' whenever we can - no more boring text books for us. I can't believe how much I love history now - boy did I hate it when I went to school... b-o-r-i-n-g!!

Sorry, I'm getting OT now...

So to answer... yes, some schools are out of control w/ testing. And I felt very bad for the teachers - caught right in the middle.

 

[golfgal]

I teach in an urban area of NJ and my district has failed to meet AYP several times in the 10 years I've been there. Testing is a huge issue and there is a large emphasis on it starting in the beginning of the year. At the end of the year when the test scores come back, we are called in to meet with the principal as a grade level and individually he goes through our test scores. We have to explain why certain kids didn't pass, what interventions we took during the course of the year and what changes we are going to make to instruction for the next school year.

It's a shame that it has come to this, but when you look at states like Florida where they are going to tie teacher performance to standardized test scores and student performance, you are going to find even more of this.

Sooo, do they require the parents to do anything to help this situation???

 

[Mkrop]

before we started homeschooling last year, my ds8 and dd10 were in a private catholic school. Starting about 2 or 3 years ago, even K students had to take a standardized "test" (it used to start in 3rd grade before that), and if they were sick that day (or the few days the test was spread out over), we HAD to have a doctors note for them missing THE test (remember, this is for K - these kids were just "tested" to "get into" K a few months prior. what could this test possibly have on it???). Can you imagine... my dd was 4yo starting K because of the school's cut off date, so she would have been just 5yo taking this TEST... and god forbid she had a stomach bug any of those testing days... me dragging my throwing up 5yo to the ped's office to get a note. All because of a silly test.

That was the beginning of the end for me allowing an institution to educate my children (public or private). There are too many other things to list that led us to homeschooling, but we're happy as clams now. The kids are doing spanish now, something they wouldn't have had until 9th grade if we stayed in our school. We do 'living history' whenever we can - no more boring text books for us. I can't believe how much I love history now - boy did I hate it when I went to school... b-o-r-i-n-g!!

Sorry, I'm getting OT now...

So to answer... yes, some schools are out of control w/ testing. And I felt very bad for the teachers - caught right in the middle.

Now see our Catholic school is the exact opposite. We have standard testing once a year and yes they added Kindergarteners taking it, but there is absolutely no pressure about these tests. Which was the exact opposite vibe I was getting from the public schools around here.

They do encourage us not to take vactions, or make appointments during this time, but time is set aside if a child should miss the test do to illness. They go to the library or tutoring room and make it up.

We have a huge brand new science lab and they teach Spanish once a week. I am glad our school has not taken away subjects to concentrate on testing.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I am so frustrated with the emphasis on testing here in our SC district. They take the map test 3x a year and the state (PASS) test. This is 3 full weeks with just testing total. Plus all I hear is how we are preparing for Pass, reviewing for PASS, incentives for pass, "No we cannot teach that, it is not on Pass." etc.

I have my master in education and I did not go into this field to prepare kids for a test, but to educate them. We have lost our way! Instead of learning for the intrinsic value and to be educated citizens, we are teaching them that we learn to pass a test. And the only things of value to learn is what is being tested 4 days in May. I am seriously considering private school because of this, but there are cons there too. (Cost and lack of accountability)

We no longer teach cursive, very little science and SS. Heavy emphasis on the math and reading, no foreign language, no composers or famous Americans, or States/Capitals, and this list goes on.
Has anyone else got fed up? Are other states this extreme??
Thanks for listening!!
AW

We are doing MAP testing now. I guess I can't complain because my dd getting a high score is what gets her into the higher level classes.

She also able to take French in 7th/8th grade yr to go onto French 2 her freshman yr.

Her science program is really good. They are doing astronomy now, which she loves.

Depends on the school district here. We moved into a district that is very good on purpose. Some of the other districts are very restictive and only allow "gifted" kids to take higher level classes, even though they may blow the standarized testing away.

 

[hereyago]

They teach per the SOLs. That is the school's curriculum. You can go on the state's education website and you can see what each grade will be studying per the SOL tests. There is even a pre SOL practice test.

 

[MM27]

Sooo, do they require the parents to do anything to help this situation???

Nope. And the sad thing is, they offer so much, but many parents don't take advantage of it. We have before school and after school tutorials, we have a Saturday Academy, they do parent nights to share what they could do to help their kids.

I taught at the Saturday Academy this year. I have a girl in one of my classes that the mother keeps saying how she wants her to get extra help, she signed her up and then she never showed up. It was for 4 weeks and we never once saw her. I've offered to do one on one tutoring with her before or after school and she always has an excuse (the mother, not the girl). I don't know what more I can do. I have another kid who needs extra help and offered my time again, but he wants to go to one of the after school clubs so he doesn't come. When I contacted his mother she said that he really likes the club so she is letting him decide.

 

[bellebud]

Now see our Catholic school is the exact opposite. We have standard testing once a year and yes they added Kindergarteners taking it, but there is absolutely no pressure about these tests. Which was the exact opposite vibe I was getting from the public schools around here.

They do encourage us not to take vactions, or make appointments during this time, but time is set aside if a child should miss the test do to illness. They go to the library or tutoring room and make it up.

We have a huge brand new science lab and they teach Spanish once a week. I am glad our school has not taken away subjects to concentrate on testing.

I believe it was our principal who made the 'doctors note' rule... I had heard that when our principal was vp of the local catholic high school, a doctor called her up personally to "speak to her" about her note policy. Parents were dragging in kids left and right when a stomach bug went around the high school school, because they "had" to have a doctors note or get an unexcused absence. The doctor wasn't happy about it.

So it can certainly vary - our principal also stated she didn't believe kids needed to start a 2nd language until 9th grade. We also had no real science, very little computer, and PE was cut back to 1 day instead of 2. So with the private schools, it can be very different, and can change drastically year to year, depending on the principal. your school sounds better than ours for sure!

 

[rgf207]

NCLB for the Win

or as the teachers like to call it; "No Child Gets Ahead"

 

[JVL1018]

There is a huge emphasis on testing in my kids school. They take the NJ ASK. 4th grade is the BIG year, but all 3rd 4th and 5th graders take it(as do middle schoolers but we're not there yet).

The test is in mid May. Starting in February they have an hour after school every Tuesday as test prep. It is not mandatroy, but virtually every 3,4 and 5th grader stays. Starting in mid March they add Monday afternoons to that, and they continue with the 2 days a week fo test prep until the test is taken.

They do practice tests every so often first thing in the morning.

With that said, I do not feel like my 4th grader has been taught to the test and only the test.
Her teacher has done really fun lessons in class that get the kids excited about learning, but I am sure are not on any test-- for example, they were learning about the Gold Rush and she had the kids be miners by bringing in choc chip and M&M cookies and having them mine for the chips or M&Ms with toothpicks and paper clips..while spraying them with water bottles(for rain) and flicking the lights on and off (for lightening) to show that the miners had to work in all kinds of weather.

I am sure there will be people here that think that;s horrible to spray a bunch fo 10 year olds with water bottles, but I think it is genius-the kids LOVED it, they wanted to learn more and they had fun. Something they'll always remember, I bet.

So yes, the test is definitely emphasized here, but not at the expense of learning outside the box. I am extremely pleased with the way they handle it.

ETA: All 3 4 and 5 still have World Language(Spanish) even though it's not on the test, and they do have science and social studies.
4th grade has a full 5 days of testing and one of those days is a science test, so science is definitaly still a nice part of the curriculum.

 

[AmazingGrace]

YES!!! we're in Texas, home of the almighty TAKS test. Testing is this week for different grades and oh my, the tension placed on these kids!

 

[Tink888]

I am so frustrated with the emphasis on testing here in our SC district. They take the map test 3x a year and the state (PASS) test. This is 3 full weeks with just testing total. Plus all I hear is how we are preparing for Pass, reviewing for PASS, incentives for pass, "No we cannot teach that, it is not on Pass." etc.

I have my master in education and I did not go into this field to prepare kids for a test, but to educate them. We have lost our way! Instead of learning for the intrinsic value and to be educated citizens, we are teaching them that we learn to pass a test. And the only things of value to learn is what is being tested 4 days in May. I am seriously considering private school because of this, but there are cons there too. (Cost and lack of accountability)

We no longer teach cursive, very little science and SS. Heavy emphasis on the math and reading, no foreign language, no composers or famous Americans, or States/Capitals, and this list goes on.
Has anyone else got fed up? Are other states this extreme??
Thanks for listening!!
AW

YES!!!!! And it is very frustrating. Here in PA, we have the PSSA standardized test (which my kids are currently taking this week) and the educational world revolves around it with the amount of prep time given to these tests. We also have the 4-Sight tests which are given earlier in the year and basically used to gauge where the emphasis needs to be placed for the PSSA prep.

Examples of PSSA emphasis in our district:

No child will graduate without scoring proficient or higher on the PSSA.

Semester long PSSA reading and math classes (in addition to regular reading and math classes for children who need them)

As the PSSA testing window approaches, MORE AND MORE time is spent prepping for these test, cutting into instruction time of virtually every other class. At the elementary level, classes like social studies and science fall by the wayside completely for weeks at a time until testing is completed.

Throughout the course of the year, students are required to use PSSA practice test questions on a website called Study Island. This is done during computer class and study halls. Even after testing is completed for the year, the students must still participate in this. As an example, DS15 was reprimanded last year during a study hall because after PSSA testing had ended for the year, instead of practicing PSSA test questions he was, get this, working on a project for an actual class!!!! He scores advanced on his tests, doesn't need the practice.

This year at the high school, the 11 grade is the only grade required to take the test, sooooo, for three days during the testing window, grades 9, 10, & 12 are operating on a two-hour delay schedule.

PSSA's are DRILLED into the student's heads from 3rd grade on. It's frustrating for the kids and the parents. I understand the need for standardized testing but when I think of all the learning that is lost on the prep that goes into the tests it really upsets and angers me.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

I am so frustrated with the emphasis on testing here in our SC district. They take the map test 3x a year and the state (PASS) test. This is 3 full weeks with just testing total. Plus all I hear is how we are preparing for Pass, reviewing for PASS, incentives for pass, "No we cannot teach that, it is not on Pass." etc.

I have my master in education and I did not go into this field to prepare kids for a test, but to educate them. We have lost our way! Instead of learning for the intrinsic value and to be educated citizens, we are teaching them that we learn to pass a test. And the only things of value to learn is what is being tested 4 days in May. I am seriously considering private school because of this, but there are cons there too. (Cost and lack of accountability)

We no longer teach cursive, very little science and SS. Heavy emphasis on the math and reading, no foreign language, no composers or famous Americans, or States/Capitals, and this list goes on.
Has anyone else got fed up? Are other states this extreme??
Thanks for listening!!
AW

You ain't seen nothing yet! They are now heading toward keeping teachers with respect to the test scores their students achieve. I know this is not a politcal thread and I will not make a politcal comment only to say that this trend is being forced on us by the federal goverenment You all can fill in the blanks yourselves. If you don't play ball with them....then they do not give you federal funding. School is black and white there is not room for creativty and it is all based on numbers and scores.

 

[MM27]

They take the NJ ASK. 4th grade is the BIG year, but all 3rd 4th and 5th graders take it(as do middle schoolers but we're not there yet).

Every grade that takes the NJASK is equally responsible for the school making AYP. It used to be a 4th grade thing when it was ESPA, but once they added the other grades, there is no big or small year/grade. They are all big, high stakes tests. I teach 4th grade in a 3-6 school so we have an interesting situation every year. 6th grade counts as middle school so our sixth graders test scores are actually counted alone.

 

[Tink888]

You ain't seen nothing yet! They are now heading toward keeping teachers with respect to the test scores their students achieve. I know this is not a politcal thread and I will not make a politcal comment only to say that this trend is being forced on us by the federal goverenment You all can fill in the blanks yourselves. If you don't play ball with them....then they do not give you federal funding. School is black and white there is not room for creativty and it is all based on numbers and scores.

Yes! And the sad thing is that I read the amount of federal funding given to schools is less than 10%. The schools and the students are jumping through hoops in order to receive less than 10% of their operating costs.

It all looks good on paper but the problem is that it fails to take into account two of the most important factors in a child's education.........natural ability and parental involvement. In a lot of ways, I think NCLB fails the most at-risk students on so many levels. It has the opposite effect of everything that it was intended to do.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

you can thank No Child Left Behind for the lovely testing. and more testing. and don't forget more testing. and when not testing, teaching how to take the test. Content? what's that? If it doesn't show up on a test, they won't be covering it. Common sense, logic, and many other life learning skills got thrown out the window years ago - it's all about the almighty test.

NCLB makes no sense on so many many levels - it's really throwing both students and teachers under the bus.