Out of time

When one thinks about school, one thinks of a class. A group. A number of children involved in learning. That would be correct. But in the modern classroom they are “involved” only en masse. They read. They follow instructions and fill in the blanks. They read, recite, memorize and hope that they will get it right on the test. Instructional time is used to build a “package” of learning for a large group that can later be easily tested.

The worst aspect of using standardized testing to measure schooling is using test scores to determine teaching methods.

In a growing number of schools, the results of that testing will determine the fate of the teacher. Classrooms with the highest median scores must have the best teacher, right? This unfortunate thinking pays no attention to the value of the material “covered” or how that “value” translates to life in the real world. Evaluation by standardized tests can never measure insight, creativity, or problem solving. But the worst aspect of using standardized testing to measure schooling is to use test scores to determine teaching methods.