Personal Experience At High Stakes Testing - 1213 Words

Background/Personal Experience â€Å"I do not know why I am feeling like this.† That was a statement that a student made as she took off running to the restroom twice in a time span of ten minutes. While it is not the typical statement that you may expect from a pre-teen, it became a rather common occurence for this student. I spent additional time trying to understand this student in the hours that followed. She had always been running to the restroom, in a near panic before exams. In fact, I came to learn that this child was experiencing anxiety that was especially present during high-stakes testing. This instance occurred during my first year of teaching and it has shaped my views on anxiety in children. During the time of this event, I was administering the second round of a standardized test, the STAAR test, to special needs students that did not pass, or meet the ‘satisfactory’ level on the first test. This was considered a high-stakes second chance as passing the test is necessary before students can be promoted on to the next grade. As such, general anxiety levels were high among all of the students, but they seemed especially high for this girl in particular. She was always nervous before regular exams, but I knew she was aware that this exam carried some extra weight. I was well aware that her parents had strict expectations for her, and she struggled to live up to them. Consequently, for this particular student, who was anxious in general, the uncontrollableShow MoreRelatedEvaluating The Perceptions Of Those Veteran Teachers Affected By High Stakes Testing1689 Words   |  7 Pages Method A phenomenological study will be utilized to determine the perceptions of those veteran teachers affected by the high-stakes testing. This type of qualitative methodology is appropriate for the problem of high-stakes testing because it demonstrates the shared lived experiences of a particular segment of the population. With that, it proves that experience is a conscious process and shows a development of a consensus of ideas from a particular group of individuals. Furthermore, there is aRead MoreHigh Stakes Testing Environment Is The Overwhelming Consensus Of The Failures Associated With Special Needs909 Words   |  4 PagesAnother issue arising for students developing educationally in a high-stakes testing environment is the overwhelming consensus of the failures associated with the testing in meeting the needs of the economically disadvantaged and the students with special needs. As high-stakes testing became the prevalent norm for Texas and the U.S, supporters were adamant tha t this testing provide new opportunities for those students in the highest risk of failure. This new level of accountability would reportedlyRead MoreEssay about High Stakes Testing1323 Words   |  6 PagesHigh Stakes Testing In 1997, President Bill Clinton stated that the United States needed, â€Å" a national crusade for education standards - not federal government standards, but national standards, representing what all our students must know to succeed in the knowledge economy of the twenty-first century†(http://books.nap.edu/books/0309062802/html/13.html). The way to succeed in this journey is through standardized testing that results in consequences for teachers and students. ThroughoutRead MoreStandardized Testing Is Negatively Affecting The Quality Of Education Essay1467 Words   |  6 PagesStandardized Testing Takes Its Toll On Education According to Linn, â€Å"Americans have had a love-hate relationship with educational testing†, and the controversies on the use of standardized tests will probably continue long after the twenty-first century (29). 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The community can provide schools with a plethora of resources that will assist the students in becoming globally competitive in the real world. Philosophy of Teaching A. Describe your personal feelings and beliefs about teaching; the awards you find in teaching and your ideas on what makes you an outstanding teacher. Education is a rewarding and challenging field. Determination to go beyond just teaching my students the necessary contentRead MoreTeaching Philosophy Statement. I Believe That Every Student1001 Words   |  5 Pagesstudents based on respect, fun, and a want to succeed. My classroom is very interactive, and always in small groups or one-on-one. I believe in individualized teaching to each of my student’s strengths. We frequently use manipulatives and real-life experiences. I believe that teachers should understand how the world around you affects your students. Finances, demographics, and family trends greatly affect not only the motivation of your student, but also how they learn. I know that some of my studentsRead MoreTeaching Methods And Techniques And Materials For The Classroom1214 Words   |  5 Pageslanguage teaching. I myself have also been less confident in my aural and oral English proficiency compared to reading or writing skills. As a matter of fact, I had thought that the benchmark to measure my listening proficiency would be the score of a high-stakes test like IELTS or TOEFL. Of course I did not think that just passing the English language requirement would be enough for me to live in the UK. However, I thought, on the other hand, that I would be able to satisfactorily catch up with the tutors’Read MoreHigh-Stakes Testing in American Schools Essay1548 Words   |  7 Pagesadministering high-stakes tests. High-stakes testing is scrutinized all the time, since some believe it is the only indicator of tracking students and teachers. They seemed to have been ridiculed by many and favored by few; nonetheless there are significant disparities in the public’s and government’s opinion. According to Dunne (2000), â€Å"Tests arent just tests anymore -- at least not high-s takes tests, which are being used in some states to determine which students stay back a grade, which high schoolRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Standardized Testing850 Words   |  4 Pagesstandardized tests monitor how well the process is going† (Brady). Standardized tests have become an educational routine. This testing limits the teachers ability to teach creatively to the students. As a college student, I have undergone ten years of standardized tests and have experienced many different teacher’s opinions towards them, from this I believe have endured enough testing torture to give a valued opinion. Standardized tests are created to compare a student to an unrealistic standard. They