Essay Notes

1. Helps place you into the correct classes.
2. Its equal to everyone - everyone gets the same test, graded in the same way.
3. Helps students retain their knowledge.
• What if a test doesn't reflect what you've been taught?
4. Indicates what students know, as well as indicates how well the teacher is teaching them.
5. Comparison among students, schools, and teachers.
• It compares student performance on a specific day, but not how students grow throughout the whole year.
• Tests are too narrow, not enough time spent on each subject on the standardized tests.

Are reading, math, and writing the only subjects a student should know?

Think about someone who just got out of math class yesterday, and someone who got out two years ago then have to take the test the next day? its obvious that the person who is in math is going to get a higher grade because memory is a big issue when it comes to math solving.

STRUCTURE!

Intro

Thesis-Argument (for or against)

As paragraph develops give reasons for your argument; reason 1, 2 ,3 4? (supporting details)

Paragraphs for each reason

Conclusion

What are two most convincing reasons to have Standardized tests?

1.) Is equal to all students, everyone gets the same test, graded in the same way.
2.) It is not only an indication of students knowledge, but also an indicator of how well the teacher is teaching what they are supposed to.

Pros & Cons of Standardized Tests

Pros:

1.  Equal for all students
2. Students think they are more fair
3. Accurate Comparison between students around the world
4. Easy/Fast Grading
5. Shows teachers teaching performance.
6. Keeps track of your progress to date
7. Knowledge indicator.

Cons:

1. Unreliable measure of student performance
2. Only measures a small portion of what you learn
3. Some questions are things you have never learned. (personal experiences)

Standarized Tests

Standarized tests are a type of test which "determines" how smart you are, and how well you are learning something. Everyone has taken some sort of standarized test in their lifetime. Any test that is given the same way to all test takers is considered a standardized test. With these kind of tests they are all the same. It cannot be considered a standardized test, if test takers have different ersions of the test or even completely different, it is not a standardized test. I have taken many of these tests over my 13 years in school. I have taken standardized tests since the third grade. Even though the major ones start taking place in about fourth grade. One of the big standardized tests that I have had to take is the W.A.S.L. This is the Washington Assesment of Student Learning. The first time I took this test it was in the fourth grade. This is a test that determines where you're at, and in high school it used to determine whether or not you would graduate. But now the schools have a new standarized test that is very similar to the W.A.S.L.