Why is our school system now focusing mainly on Standarized testing?

Question

What about the kids who aren't too good with words or tests, yet they are great at building stuff, fixing cars and other manual and technical things that are not part of the standarized testing. Is the "no child left behind" actually leaving many kids behind?

Answer 1

No child left behind leaves behind many children. It holds all students, teachers and school administrators to one narrowly quantifiable definition of success. It breeds teaching to the tests rather than teaching children to think. It makes critical thinking and problem solving anathema to the system.

Blame our idiot President. From him, all bad things flow.

Answer 2

The testing is there because the teachers union doesn't let schools get rid of lousy teachers. I think we've all had the misfortune of having a teacher that didn't give a rat's butt about the kids and whether or not they actually learned anything.

Schools used to teach you how to think. Now they only teach you what to think. The text books are filled with political agendas instead of information.

Get rid of the unions, and you can get rid of the testing.

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Answer 3

YES MANY kids ARE being left behind. Schools ONLY teach what is going to be on these tests, all year, every year. Schools only teach HOW to take these tests. I think schools are allowing CHEATING for TEACHING the kids what is on the tests, and HOW to do the tests!
All in the name is GETTING MORE MONEY...

Answer 4

Because people are always asking for "proof" that the education system is working, and pretty much the only way to answer those questions at a national, or even a regional level is standardized testing, according to our government.

Personally, I think you hire only the best teachers, put them in the classrooms with the kids who need them most, and then trust them to do their jobs. But our world doesn't work like that, alas.

Answer 5

It's a pendulum. Wait 10 years and we will be back to focussing on the growth of the individual. If you have a young child now and can't wait 10 years, then its up to you. You should be the primary educator of your children. Think of it in reverse. You teach them the rules of life and they go to school for the homework.

Answer 6

I agree. yet each time the authorities takes over a software (public training somewhat) then its standards are diminished. And it is going to take a flesh presser with some balls to withstand the bureaucracies of the authorities. We not purely would desire to strengthen the bar for immigrants, we would desire to strengthen the bar for idiots who won't be in a position to study. the challenge with us of a's training is that we predict of each and every little one would desire to get a intense college degree. it somewhat is not the case. some pupils would desire to be taught a commerce. not each and every little one is shrink out for Algebra, Trig., Chemistry, Biology. yet, we've this concept that each and each little one needs to stay at college until eventually they are sixteen. those obligatory attendance regulations shop troublemakers at college a ways too lengthy. they shop the fewer smart at college, a ways too lengthy. whilst they may be extra helpful served going to a vocational college to be taught a craft. Or extra helpful yet, us of a would desire to have 2 achievable intense college routes. the academic direction, for people who plan on attending college and the vocational direction for people who choose to be taught a craft.

Answer 7

Yea, I don't think the testing is all that fair, because not all students test well, but that's how they know how much you really know, and if the teachers are really doing their jobs!