OMG News: Obama says "Tests Are Boring"

In cities and towns nationwide, "March Madness" means something different for tweens. March means taking states' standardized tests, such as the MCAS here in Massachusetts.  A source of deep anxiety for some kids and sheer annoyance for others, these standardized tests have their merit - to help educators find a baseline, be accountable, and improve their curriculum - but for kids, big tests are a huge pain and an interruption to their school curriculum.  (Only bright side: most teachers don't give homework during these testing periods.)


In related education news this week, the Associated Press wrote a story in which President Obama said something startling: "too many tests make school boring".  He suggested this week that too much testing makes education boring, that kids take fewer standardized tests, and measure their school performance in other ways.   Fundamentally, kids test well in subjects they like and poorly in subjects they don't like, and these tests are still "bubbles on a page" and don't utilize the latest technology (another way to make these tests more interesting to kids).


According to the Associated Press story, "Obama is rewriting the nation's education law that would ease some of its rigid measurement tools, said we should find a test that 'everybody agrees makes sense' and administer it in less pressure-packed place every few years instead of each year. At the same time, Obama said, schools should be judged on criteria other than student test performance, including attendance rate." 


I always wondered why MCAS are so important, as they will never paint the whole picture.  Culture and current events, experiential learning, social skills, maturity and character, even technology skills are left behind in these standardized tests.  I know a mom with a child - a classically trained concert pianist - who is a brilliant musician, but a lousy test-taker.  Every year, these tests deflate her ego quite a bit... until her next piano recital, I'd imagine.


We'll keep a watch on what Obama's new education plans mean for tweens. Until then, don't forget to sharpen your #2 pencil and fill in those ovals completely.