Paw Prints
Standardized Testing : Does it help or hurt students?Tuesday, May 27, 2008 By Ericka G.
When asked this question, some students were stumped. “I think it depends; if students take it seriously enough it most likely benefit us, but most students think of it as another boring test and believe that it won’t improve anything.” states junior Adriana G. Many students can agree with this statement because there will be that one student in class that just doesn’t care. Unfortunately, that one student turns into more and more, thus bringing down the overall scores of the school itself. Most students do not know that standardized testing really affects the future of what the school does. Depending on the scores, the school can change the curriculum, textbooks, standards and policies. If students do well on these tests, the teachers know that they are teaching at the level they should. When students don’t care about how they do on their test and don’t take it seriously and make shapes on their test, then the district must review these scores and determine changes in lesson plans. On the contrary, for some students these tests are an opportune time to improve their test taking skills and show the school what they’ve got. Accompanied with test preps and study groups, many students become very prepared for these tests. Harlem High School offers a variety of test prep classes after school for various subjects so students can study on the subject they struggle with. No matter how many resources students may have, they will still make their own decisions. Hopefully with this article, they will realize that each student’s scores can impact the school. So gear up, sleep well, and be prepared for testing season. |