Test Preparation

As a former middle school teacher, I know that many students do not know how to study for tests.  The schools where I worked required me to distribute test outlines to allow students to know what material will be on the test.  This was a good step for me as teacher because it helped me frame what the test would look like.

Public schools, however, have their stance off balance.  My son knows quite a bit about the New York State ELA test (which he has been taking this week); however, he does not possess the skill necessary to study for a simple health test.  I suspect something has gone terribly wrong in public education when the student knows about the state test but does not carry away any knowledge that will help him in the future.

State tests have their place.  Still, it's the skills that need drilling, not the test itself.  Students lose about a week a year to tests.  Wouldn't it be nice to simply give the test and not have to prepare for it?  Or, if schools are concerned about the success of their students, shouldn't a more broad and applicable method of study be used? 

If a student has trouble with the ELA test because he needs help with writing, then more work on writing should be done.  This work should focus on and be framed by the skills needed to succeed as a writer: organization, spelling, depth, focus, audience, voice.  The information I receive as a parent is that my son may not receive as score of 3 as a result of his written performance.  That is meaningless information.  Further, it does not address my child's abilities head on. 

It's time to prepare students for real situations and get the tests aligned to skills.  When the test drives the curriculum, we all lose.