Now, the way we test:

  Standardized testing - just these two words can make students tremble with fear. The SAT, ACT, APs, all of these are examples of standardized tests. I believe, in many cases, standardized testing is an accurate representation of a student’s aptitude and ability. The critical thinking skills that are necessary to do well on the SAT and ACT are also necessary in the real world, and almost any job. However, while I do believe these tests are valid measures of a student’s ability, I believe the way students are prepared for them is unfortunate. Again, in school we are geared towards getting a high GPA - memorizing information for a test and forgetting it a week later. In this process, the student never learns the critical thinking and problem solving skills that are necessary to do well on standardized tests. This is why many students in the American education system find it difficult to get above a 1400 on the SAT or a 23 on the ACT, simply because they were never expected to exercise the skills required for these tests in their high school careers. If we don’t encourage our students to indulge on their interests, if we are always stuck on the rubric, if we only focus on the test, then our students’ standardized testing scores will reflect that.