Let 'em Be Little

It’s tough to be a student in today’s public schools. Yes, kids must deal with social pressures, bullying, and home problems as they try to succeed in the classroom. However, what causes most consternation is the never-ending string of tests that students must take during their years in K-12.

            Students begin the test circuit as early as the third grade. From that point on, every student in grades 3-8 is subjected to yearly T-CAP Achievement Tests. Long before the exam is given, schools begin sending home “strategies” of taking the test. Lots of sleep, exercise, and practice problems at home are suggested. In the classroom, teachers pour on the practice tests to ensure that students are familiar with the layout of the tests and the kinds of questions and problems that make them up. By the time the test week is finished, school personnel, parents and children are exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally.

            In the 5^th, 8^th, and 11^th grades, students are given the TCAP Writing Assessment. The youngest write a narrative (story); middle school students write an expository (explanation) paper; the high school students write a persuasive (argumentative) essay. The child is expected to write a completed rough draft within in a limited time period, usually 20-30 minutes. Teachers are to have portfolios for students with several “practice” essays of the appropriate kind for the grade.

            During the 4^th, 8^th, and 12^th grade, students are to take the NAEP exam. This one measures student knowledge in math, reading, and science. Again, teachers administer practice tests throughout the year to prepare their students for the test that is to come.

            Eighth graders also take the Explore test. It’s the middle school version of the ACT exam that is mandated by the state of Tennessee for most students. Tested areas include math, English, reading, and science. As sophomores, students take the PLAN test. You guessed right. It’s another exam that tests the same four areas. During the junior year, students can take the PSAT. It’s a practice test to get teens ready to take the SAT exam the following year. Of course, the ACT has been added as a graduation requirement for Tennessee high school seniors. Vocational students can opt to take the WorkKeys exam instead.

            For high school students, these tests are in addition to the EOC (End of Course) exams that are administered during the last week of each semester.

            By the time a student exits the doors of public schools, he or she is exhausted from the onslaught of exams that systems and states require. The bigger question is what have students lost as the result of being constantly tested? Also, how valid are the scores on some of the required exams?

            The writing assessments are serious for teachers, but not necessarily for kids. Teachers are evaluated based on the success of their students. However, only marginal weight is placed on the scores of the test, so many students simply don’t try to do well. Besides, how realistic is it to expect students to write well in such a short amount of time? On one occasion a student received a grade of 3, which meant he needed remedial help in writing. The problem was that he failed to complete the paper in the short time period. How valid was this grade? The same student made a perfect score on the SAT, went to a prestigious college in the northeast, and chose to become a teacher. All that, but he was a failure on the TCAP Writing Assessment.

            This idea that all students must take the ACT is another ridiculous idea that only looks good on a superintendent’s goals and objectives list. In reality, many students who have no intentions of attending college put little or not effort into the test. The scores are skewed as a result. Just like the EXPLORE and PLAN tests, the ACT adds costs per each one taken to the school budget. In many cases, it’s a waste of money that could be spent elsewhere.

            The big question is when will we allow kids to be kids? Don’t hand me the hogwash about American students falling behind those in other countries. U.S. public schools educate the masses. When we begin to restrict schools to the few brightest kids as other countries do and then record their scores, America will rank with the best. Our children’s education should include more than the basics. It’s important to include art and music, and the classroom is the ideal place for conversations and the sharing of ideas. Like the song by Billy Dean says, “Let them be little ‘cause they’re only that way for awhile.” Let’s give them a better education than one that revolves around tests.