This week I came across an article that was actually very similar to the ideas I expressed in my first paper this semester. It is the idea of standardized exams. These exams are considered to be a way of testing the knowledge of a student prior to them moving on to a more advanced subjects. The article “34 Problems With Standardized tests” by Staruss, agrees that these exams do not really show if a kid is ready to move on or not. These has been plenty of cases, where “honors students — from a number of school districts were denied promotion because they opted out of the test”(Staruss 1). This way of testing students after making them memorized a strict set of guidelines, especially for english comp do not show that they are really ready for the next chapter of their life. As education grows on the ways of writing and learning change as well. The reason for the exam is for, “ELA is to assess whether the student has a reading deficiency and needs additional reading instruction before (and after) being promoted to fourth grade”(Staruss 1), makes sense but is concerning. I understand it is so no child is left behind, but what about the student feeling down on themselves for not being able to move on with their friends. This way of standardized exams is hurting the self confidence of many students and leads them to think that they are not good enough. I think that this standardized exam thing is unneeded, all of the information I was told to used while preparing for those exam means nothing to me now in college. How about all of our great scholars before us, did they have these test? NO they did not and they are the people that we are taught to read from and learn from. I just think that they should be optional for college applications, and not determine weather they move on to a grade, but what kind of level class they are put in.
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