For those wondering how all of this standardized testing affects our kids, my child is in therapy for test taking anxiety and the anxiety from all of this testing has caused the kids to fall apart, causing one class to be so very disruptive that my child cannot even concentrate anymore. She has grades suffering because of worry, lack of sleep, general ill feeling . . . Just when she thought that the AIR testing was all done, now MAP testing is coming down the pike. Fabulous! :scowling mama face:
Her therapist talked with her yesterday about the illing class that she has. All year she has gotten A's and B's. This seems to be the class that the wheels fell off the bus. The train is no longer on the track, but she is turning everything in on time and the in class work is just sinking her. She is trying but she cannot concentrate in this one particular class-- the class she has generally done the best in all year long. We are dragging her through these last few weeks, hoping that this class can pull around and give her a good feeling before the end of the year. We want to end the year on a positive note.
If the administrators who put these tests in place could just experience what the kids are feeling. Teachers stressed to the max because their performance evaluations are riding on these test results, telling the students that they could fail the grade if they do not perform well. (Incidentally, this is untrue. These tests are placement tests for next years coursework.) These are statements that further damage those amongst us with test taking anxiety. Kids are falling apart. Teachers are falling apart. The educational system is teaching to test.
Please stop the madness.
