Teachers and Standardized Testing Pressure

If youre in education in the 21st Century, were willing to bet you feel the pressure of standardized test scores, no matter where you teach in the United States. The pressure seems to come from all sides: the district, parents, administrators, the community, your colleagues, and yourself. Sometimes it feels like you cant take a moment away from the hard-core academic subjects in order to teach so-called non-essentials, like music, art, or physical education. These subjects are frowned-upon by the people who meticulously monitor test scores. Time away from math, reading, and writing is seen as time wasted. If it doesnt directly lead to improved test scores, you arent encouraged, or sometimes even allowed, to teach it. In California, school rankings and scores are published in the newspapers and discussed by the community. Schools reputations are made or broken by the bottom line, numbers printed in black and white on newsprint. Its enough to make any teachers blood pressure rise at the thought of it. What Teachers Have to Say About Standard Testing These are some of the things teachers have said over the years about standardized test scores and the pressures surrounding student performance: I did just fine in school and life, even though my teachers didnt emphasize achievement on tests.Its only one test - why does it matter so much?I dont even have time to teach Science or Social Studies any more!I start teaching Test Preparation the first week of school.Its not fair that were graded on how our students do on this test when all we can do is present the information to them. We cant help how they will actually do on Test Day!My principals on my back this year because my students didnt so well last year. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to teachers opinions on this controversial issue. Money, prestige, reputation, and professional pride are all at stake. Administrators seem to be getting additional pressure to perform from the district bosses which the principals, in turn, pass down to their staff. No one likes it and most people think its all irrational, yet the pressure is snowballing and increasing exponentially. What Research Has to Say About Standard Testing Research shows that there is an incredible amount of pressure that is placed on teachers. This pressure often results in teacher burn-out. Teachers often feel like they need to teach to the test which results in them having to take away from higher order thinking skills, which has been proven to have long term benefits for students and is a much needed 21st-century skill. Edited By Janelle Cox