Assessment      

      I have a lot to say about Assessments because I am one of those people who perform horribly on standardized tests and many tests in general, which made it very difficult for me in school. Many teachers use tests and quizzes as their sole form of assessment. I believe that tests and quizzes are used most frequently to assess students because they are simple to create and easy to grade. It is more difficult for teachers to devise creative ways to assess students and I believe that this system fails many students. Not all students are alike and one form of testing will not suit all students. I am one of the students who can study for weeks and know and understand subject matter backwards and forwards but when I sit in front of a test I draw a blank. Test taking anxiety is not uncommon especially for students today who are constantly faced with a substantial amount of tests each and every year. My teachers would see me working hard and participating but did not understand why I performed so poorly on exams. I suffered with this for many years until one of my teachers pulled me aside and talked to me about it. One time he even allowed me to take an oral exam, which I performed amazingly on. If it wasn’t for him recognizing that I needed a different form of assessment and helping me through standardized tests I am not sure where I’d be. I still have trouble with tests which became an increasing problem when I was faced with the daunting SAT’s. Teachers, Schools, Parents, and the government should see children as individuals with individual strengths and weakness that require different types of assessment. 

Because I am so aware of the problem with one type of assessment, I believe it is important for teachers to analyze their students and their classroom. Teachers are the people connecting with students on a daily basis and it becomes much easier for them to adjust assessments based on a child’s needs. In order for this to happen, teachers need to be much more patient and willing to come up with creative ways to assess their students. Standardized tests are not bad forms of assessment because often times they are needed but a variety of assessments should be used in classrooms, including oral exams, projects, or presentation, if not only to accommodate individual students but also to prepare students for a world that is not always as simple as a true or false question.

            The next step in opening up classrooms to different types of assessments is getting the state and federal government to see the world as more than complex than black or white or true or false. The government has to see gray area, which may mean seeing a schools improvement instead of setting unrealistic goals that make it difficult for schools to achieve. This is a current issue, for example with No Child Left Behind Act. No Child Left Behind basis school and student achievement only on standardized tests scores. A standardized test does not give a comprehensive assessment of a school or student’s achievement. This is why adjustment in assessments needs to start here.

Rational: I decided to post this Journal Entry because I feel so strongly on the topic. I have always had trouble with standardized tests so this was a great chance to voice my opinions.

Feedback: From Lauren Char-Great response, Danielle. I appreciate that you were able to draw from your own experiences and connect with real issues that we've been discussing. Keep up the good work!