Having been a middle school teacher for the last four years I am firmly opposed to studetns taking one test a year to determine their knowledge learned, intelligence, and chance for success in school. The standardized test in Texas is called the TAKS test. Teachers are given a list of TEKS to teach and are basically left in the dark on what the content of the test will be. A small group of people take these TEKS and manipulate the information into, sometimes, tricky questions. This is directly contradictory to the way I was taught that teaching and testing should take place. Harry Wong states "The test should not be a mystery." I feel the standardized testing has just become a tool to find the best 'test takers' instead of a tool to measure intelligence. This system leaves out a very large group of intelligent people who are not being service in our school system.
In my classroom I use a questionnaire, observation and testing to find out each students strengths. I look to Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences to design lessons that meet the learning needs of all students. I then give students a choice of assignments. This way students are able to learn and show mastery in a way that is best for them.
Our system may be better than Germany where it is decided which path a child will take by the time he/she is 10 years old. In the younger grades students are evaluated to decide which one of four types of schools that they will enter. This puts them on a track that determines which type of school they can next enter, and finally, weather they will go to a university or enter a technical field or trade.
Sources:
The Effective Teacher video series by Harry Wong, 1998
http://library.thinkquest.org/26576/schoolpage.htm
Patricia,
ReplyDeleteI can't believe they don't even give the teachers a heads up about the test content! Here in MD, we know the objectives that will be tested and we are able to see sample test questions. So during teaching, we make sure to teach the objectives and then we provide our students with similar questions and BCRs that they may see on the test.
Parents are also able to go the website and look at the objectives and sample questions (www.mdk12.org).
I agree with your approach and implementing Gardner's theory unfortunately not all teachers exhaust the extra energy to help students find there way their best learning style way. I also found your information about Germany to be fascinating I know Canada assesses in a very similar manner to them deciding really early the child's career path for them.
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