Less testing, more teaching
Jun 30, 2009 | 807 views | 1 
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Thanks to No Child Left Behind and the fuzzy theory that everything taught can be assessed, Alabama children are exposed yearly to a battery of tests, not to mention pre-test hype. In many cases, these tests directly and negatively impact learning.
In an effort to apply reason to what has become an irrational situation, the Alabama State Board of Education has finally acknowledged this and is setting out to reduce the number of tests students take. The goal is to focus those tests that remain on assessments that give a better idea of student progress.
The most important proposal is to do away with the Alabama High School Graduation Exam. If that happens, the state would add the exam's sections to the final exam in the courses that address those subjects — which makes perfect sense. That way, the graduation exam becomes part of the already existing test and is averaged into the class grade. No separate tests are necessary.
The state is also considering having all 11th-grade students take the ACT, a test widely used to determine readiness for college. Approximately 75 percent of Alabama students already take it. Requiring the rest to take the ACT may encourage them to continue their education beyond high school. Also, college readiness and job-skills assessment testing will be done in connection with the ACT in the eighth, 10th and 11th grades.
Changes already have been approved to reduce the time taken up in testing and test preparation in the lower grades, thus cutting back the lengthy and — for some children and teachers — stress-filled weeks of preparation and testing.
Although the details are still being hammered out, the initial reports are encouraging. Less time will be spent on testing, more time will be available for teaching, and the tests given will be designed to offer students, parents, teachers and administrators a better idea of progress and potential.
Moreover, the cost of the change will be covered by savings derived from dropping the Alabama High School Graduation Exam and some of the other tests currently being used.
As state school board member Ella Bell told The Birmingham News, "This just makes so much sense to me (that) it's ridiculous."
An interesting twist of words, but one with which we agree.
As for taking more time from teaching, that is not the problem. The problem is the mindset that it fosters. I think it narrows and limits thinking. I would think that teachers now teach to the test and that thwarts creative thinking. What we really need is good teachers (to go along with some of the ones we now have) and discipline. And get rid of all the silly regulations and guidelines and let the teachers teach. If you have a good teacher, he/she know what to do better than somebody behind a desk drawing a government paycheck.
As for a graduation exam, I never really understood that. If a student fails the test doesn't that mean that he does not know the material? And doesn't that mean that he was either not taught properly or he just did not do the work all along for whatever reason and should not have been a senior and in a position to graduate in the first place? Why is it that a senior does not know the material and why do we wait until then to find that out? Why has he been passed?