Competitive Academics: Taking an Objective Stance

[Dodger]

There are a few reasons why I am starting this topic. 1) I have an essay to write on this topic and I felt the best way to get started would be to gather my ideas and post them, and 2) I want to sand down the rough edges of my beliefs and eventually post them in article format.

Anyways, lets get to it.

Competitive Academics: Taking An Objective Stance

When all that's left are standards.

Part One: Standardized Tests.

As a student of high school, I know all too well the pain and suffering that is the standardized test. My school seems to treat the test as if it were a life and death situation, and nothing else mattered but your performance on it. By doing this, the school has, in my opinion, destroyed and disregarded all that is education and the spirt of learning.

Part 1: A

Everytime a testing date is announced you have two general responses from students--either they grow weary of the test and become annoyed, or they begin to study and prepare.

Now, in an ideal world, all students would see the value of these tests and want to do well. They would know that these tests, whether basic or not, would be what defines them and gives them access to postsecondary education. However, this is not an ideal world, and when it comes to public schools, the majority of students are annoyed at these tests.

If the majority of students are discouraged, annoyed, and would rather be doing something else, wouldn't it be logical to modify how student's abilities and values are measured? If it is impossible to ever have 100% of students to want to score high, what is the point of administering such tests?

The answer is simple. Standards.

It is much easier for employers to simply look at a sheet of paper and tell whether or not someone is worthy of hiring. It is much easier for universities to look at your test scores to see whether or not you should be admitted.

However, there is a huge, but unnoticed flaw. While this is a simple way to keep things organized, it can discriminate against those who's test scores are not high enough, whatever the subject may be.

Take, for instance, the student who understands the inner workings of a computer. The kid is considered an electronical genius, but he values his work more than anything. Because of this, his test scores are low. He doesn't focus in school, and the classes he feels are unneccessary he does not focus in. He falls behind in his English classes, and his History classes, and his test scores reflect his carelessness. He eventually drops out of high school, and works as a computer technician for $8 an hour.

This kid could have been a millionaire. He could have done so much, but he did not value things that were unneccessary for his work. It may seem as if his position is justified by his lack of caring in school, but is it his fault that his values are different than others? Is it his fault that his perspective differs from the norm?

Of course, people would say that he should adapt to his situation, and do well on the tests because they are important. Any man with good work ethics would tell him that. But this is what we call a STANDARD. The standards held to encourage competitive academics ultimately fail and lose a lot of valuable minds. It is easy for a student with an average memory to score well on a test, but it is not easy for an average student to disassemble a computer and put it back together with ease.

I believe that when it comes to the skills required for jobs, standards should be utilized. However, when it comes to measuring a student's value and chance of success, it is not efficient enough and should be done away with.

Part 1: B

Every single one of the classes I've been in has been forced to spend time to focus on the test. My ELECTIVE classes have even been forced to do so--All because last year's test scores were unacceptable and we needed to score higher so the state would raise the school's funding.

By doing this the school has completely wiped out any motivation that students may have had before. When good, smart students who can score well on the test get testing stratagies and information shoved down their throats every day, they get sick of it, and grow tired of the time wasted. Intelligent students would rather spend their time focusing on career oriented tasks, instead of having class time used for something they dont need.

As for the students who already are discouraged and annoyed, they sometimes get fed up with it and dont even show up on the testing date. Their care is diminished, and they would much rather spend their time playing video games and watching TV.

If these tests cause so many problems to the majority of students, why would they still be kept in place? The answer is the same as before.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edited April 20, 2007 by Dodger

[BAMF]

One of the major reasons why students are so fed up with the tests (based on my own experience and talking with others) is that even if we do well on the tests, we see nothing in return. Maybe some little deal at lunch where we get to eat hot dogs. Wow. That's motivation. Me and my friends want the funding that we get from those tests to go toward our education, not some stupid 'party'. Nobody gives a shit because those tests don't matter when it comes to our future. They just don't. If someone wants to take a test that matters (ACT/SAT), they have to pay for it, so they want to do well...get their money's worth. *sigh* I'm sure I'll have more input later.

[Dodger]

One of the major reasons why students are so fed up with the tests (based on my own experience and talking with others) is that even if we do well on the tests, we see nothing in return. Maybe some little deal at lunch where we get to eat hot dogs. Wow. That's motivation. Me and my friends want the funding that we get from those tests to go toward our education, not some stupid 'party'. Nobody gives a shit because those tests don't matter when it comes to our future. They just don't. If someone wants to take a test that matters (ACT/SAT), they have to pay for it, so they want to do well...get their money's worth. *sigh* I'm sure I'll have more input later.

Not only will you have more input, but I have about 4 more parts to write. I also plan to expand my thoughts into the whole of the educational process and eventually lay out my ideas and how I think the educational system SHOULD work.

Even if we do well on the tests, we see nothing in return

That is true to some extent. What you do get in return is the ability to advance to the next grade. These tests measure your ability and value as a student. Ironically enough, I have never seen a university rely on the state administered tests for evaluation.

Even another reason why they should be done away with.

[Jody Gomez]

Dodger-

Do not worry. There is a place for you-it's called a technical college. Meanwhile, the people who can recognize subject-verb agreement errors and repair computers will probably be more marketable.

[Dodger]

Dodger-

Do not worry. There is a place for you-it's called a technical college. Meanwhile, the people who can recognize subject-verb agreement errors and repair computers will probably be more marketable.

Im going to a technical college

[Chris Grieb]

Dodger; Your post are interesting and I agree with them. The problem is that we have a government run school system. The system has huge failures. People not being able to spell "cat" or add 2+2. The only way to improve was to have testing by government organizations. Teachers then teach the test. Separate the government from the schools and I predict that things will improve greatly.

[Dodger]

Dodger; Your post are interesting and I agree with them. The problem is that we have a government run school system. The system has huge failures. People not being able to spell "cat" or add 2+2. The only way to improve was to have testing by government organizations. Teachers then teach the test. Separate the government from the schools and I predict that things will improve greatly.

That is exactly right. It is one of the topics I plan to discuss later.

[Danneskjold]

The flaw in testing is obviuos to anyone who looks. I don't even care to talk about it. In Oregon the colleges don't even look at our state's standardized test (CIM for Certificate of Initial Mastery and CAM for Certificate of Advanced Mastery). Finally they are saying that they are going to get rid of it altogether, but who knows how long that's going to take.

As far as standardized tests that are actually looked at by colleges go, assuming there are any, if a student can't get up for a test that has actual bearing on their future then the student needs to get their priorities straight.

Take myself for example. I could not care less about eighty percent of what I'm learning right now. I can write well enough to sound at least competent already, my current math course is inapplicable to any future that I care for, and the only class I'm getting a C in is spanish because my teacher hates me, literally. In spite of me not caring I still pull honor roll grades and do well on standardized testing for the simple reason that I know I won't get into a D1 higher up baseball college without the grades. People who get bad grades then complain about how inapplicable the classes are need to get their priorities straight.

[Chris Grieb]

Jeff; This is addressed to Jeff but I hope everybody considers. Jeff You have a sentence that begins "Take mys[elf as an example." Why not say "Take me. There is nothing wrong with ME . Indulge an old man.

Edited April 24, 2007 by Chris Grieb

[Brant Gaede]

Jeff; This is addressed to Jeff but I hope everybody considers. Jeff You have a sentence that begins "Take mys[elf as an example." Why not say "Take me. There is nothing wrong with ME . Indulge an old man.

Nothing wrong with me, either.

--Brant