It is that time of year....the time we all get to sit in our desks at eight o'clock sharp and take standardized tests. Many students dread these three days while others don't particularly mind it. This is the very first year that the Iowa Assessments are being given. When those of us were in elementary school and middle school we knew them as the ITBS tests or Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. Then when we reached high school they transformed into the ITEDs or Iowa Test of Educational Development. Three different versions, same exact idea.
Many things are associated with these standardized tests. For three days we get to have shortened class periods and hopefully less homework, which is always a plus! The administration wants each and every student to do their absolute best and they are willing to do whatever they can to make sure that happens. This includes providing granola bars and cheese sticks during breaks and rewarding students with candy at the end of the day. On top of that there are numerous incentives for students to do their personal best and to show up each and every day to take the test. Homerooms that have perfect attendance can earn pizza parties or doughnut parts. Juniors who have their personal best score out of all three years of high school can receive hooded sweatshirts. There are also class money rewards, broken down into three 500 dollar checks for highest improvement amongst other things.
In my opinion this is getting a little out of hand. What is wrong with our society and education systems that we have to bribe students to do their best on a test? Just because it isn't for a grade many, many students take advantage of that and just screw around with it. That is uncalled for and just immature. We are high school students people, can't you just suck it up and do your best without bribes? I am all for a little bit of a reward for a job well done but I just think that something like this doesn't require all of the incentives that we are receiving.
No comments:
Post a Comment