The Stress Cycle
Olivia Xiao (ISB 10)
Diligent student of ISB, writer Olivia Xiao explores the nature of standardized testing in secondary schools.
Olivia questions the inherent structure of global high school academic curriculums and highlights its critical flaws, examining the perspectives of both American and Chinese students.
Every student has felt their stomach drop as they see the classroom set up for an exam. In the average school year, learners take as many as eight of these tests. That adds up to around 112 tests from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. It’s a never-ending cycle of class, homework, class, homework, class, homework, test, which lasts from elementary school to beyond even university, depending on your chosen career. However, these assessments are not as crucial as educators believe them to be. Standardized testing is unnecessary and not beneficial to students because there is no room for creativity, some tests are faulty, and they give students stress.
Standardized tests fail to allow room for creativity when answering questions. The standardized test is, by definition, “any form of test that requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from a common bank of questions, in the same way” (Partnership). Every student has a different way of thinking, and standardized tests completely ignore that. For them, there is only one answer for a question, and any other perhaps more creative response is marked as incorrect. Standardized assessments do not assess the innovative thinking of students.
Standardized assessments do not assess the innovative thinking of students.
Some standardized tests can be faulty, therefore showing incorrect or skewed results. Many questions on the NWEA MAP test, for example, are multiple-choice. It is easy to guess on many of those questions, and that significantly affects your score. A student’s lucky guess often results in a score that fails to match their average grade throughout the year, measured by homework and classwork. Additionally, money also plays a large part in some standardized tests. Wealthier students have an advantage over those who come from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds, even in free exams. Extracurricular tutoring and other resources are only accessible to a student whose family has enough extra money to provide more. The SAT, for example, is priced at $49.50, $64.50 with the essay. If a student is not in the United States, there is a “Non-US regional fee” of $53. A more privileged student could have more chances to take it, while a less privileged student might have only one chance, sometimes even none. The AP exam costs even more, at $94. Students who do not live in the United States and come from a poorer socioeconomic background are being unfairly discriminated against by standardized testing.
Pupils of today are also very stressed and overworked because of studying for standardized tests. Sometimes, a student may get nervous before an exam, and that will affect their grade. They worry for a good reason, though, because those tests are what determines your future. In some cases, it does not matter how well you do over the entire year if you mess up on just one big test. The gaokao is a huge standardized test for Chinese students that nearly singlehandedly determines where a Chinese student goes for college. In 2010, Therese Hesketh and her colleagues conducted a study with 2,191 Chinese children aged 9-12. They found 81% of the children worried “a lot” about exams. It is unhealthy for these beginning learners to face such a tremendous amount of pressure delivered by standardized tests at such a young age.
The Chinese Gaokao (from Tutorming)
On the other hand, some may argue that with the same questions, no matter the school location, standardized tests clearly compare learners across the globe. The education level of diverse schools is ranked by using an identical assessment, and the students can see where they are placed against others in different countries, even. Additionally, not all standardized tests are priced like the SAT and AP. The gaokao, administered yearly for Chinese students, is completely free. This gives poorer students an equal chance to get into the prestigious Chinese schools, including Peking and Tsinghua University. With the gaokao, students are protected against economic disparity and given an equal chance to get good higher schooling. However, other far better methods, like portfolio-based assessments, achieve the same goals without compromising students' mental health. The constant competition is not beneficial to them, and they should learn to do their best, instead of feeling inferior to others in very different circumstances. Education is about learning or improving your understanding of concepts, not simply trying to be better than others. Standardized tests create too much unhealthy competition. A possible alternative could be portfolio-based assessments.
Children need to know that they learn for the sole reason of bettering themselves, not being better than others.
As a current high school student, the overwhelming expectations are very worrying. However, the educational experience can be improved by eliminating standardized tests. Of course, portfolio-based learning will act as the alternative. This will benefit all students across the world because they will be able to freely share their creative thoughts without being marked as incorrect. Students could have a portfolio for each class they take, containing their work throughout the year, maybe some pop quizzes to test their way of studying the information. The work included demonstrates not only the students’ level of understanding but also their work ethic and how they have improved throughout the year. Portfolios are also free to make, so there will not be any unfair advantages for richer students. Class averages will also determine their level as a learner instead of a single faulty assessment. Consequently, they will be under a lot less stress and live a happier, healthier life. Though some may argue that standardized tests help compare students across the world, children need to know that they learn for the sole reason of bettering themselves, not being better than others.
“Academic Stress in Chinese Schools and a Proposed Preventive Intervention Program.” Taylor & Francis, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2331186x.2014.1000477.
Partnership, Great Schools. “Standardized Test Definition.” The Glossary of Education Reform, 12 Nov. 2015, www.edglossary.org/standardized-test/.
Strauss, Valerie. “Confirmed: Standardized Testing Has Taken over Our Schools. But Who's to Blame?” The Washington Post, WP Company, 24 Oct. 2015, www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/10/24/confirmed-standardized-testing-has-taken-over-our-schools-but-whos-to-blame/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.d36c5e905cc2.