High stake test: Effects on teachers

High stake test: Effects on teachers

Teaching to the test

As a teacher, TAKS has had a huge impact on me because I find myself teaching to the test. If the content that is being covered is not TAKS related it is not relevant to the student. –Aaron, Feb 5, 2008, EDCI 6304

It has affected me in a way that administrators are expecting us to stop teaching content and prepare for the state test. I feel that I am being pressured in making sure that the students are drilled on objectives with diagnostic assessments—Lucy, Feb 10, 2008, EDCI 6304

Even with the best of intentions, you eventually find yourself teaching only the objectives that will be assessed on the test.—Cavin, Feb 5, 2008, EDCI 6304

The pressures standardized test place on schools, administration, teachers, and most importantly our students, leads us on a narrow path of instruction “teach what will be tested.” We are becoming a nation of test takers instead of well rounded knowledgeable individuals.—Erin, February 10 2008, EDCI 6304

No individualized teaching

Teachers have also reported that preparing students for high-stakes tests had led them to deviate from creative, constructive, and productive instructional practices, and that they were unable to respond to students’ individual needs (Pedulla, Abrams, Madaus, Russell, Ramos, & Miao, 2003). —Dorothy, Feb 6, 2008, EDCI 6304

…The negative effect is that special or ELL student that is having a difficult time understanding and the teacher does not adapt to his learning style. Every student should have the ability to be successful in their own way. As a teacher the most important effect should be the success of the learner.—Aaron, Feb 5, 2008, EDCI 6304

Kill the fun of teaching

I have seen that teaching is getting less and less fun the more the government gets involved. Teaching should be fun and kids should enjoy school and have a safe learning environment.—East, Feb 6, 2008, EDCI 6304

High pressure

As a teacher, the effects are very profound. Most of the time, your effectiveness as a teacher is judged not by your ability, but by the number of your students that pass the test. The pressure to increase passing scores is felt from the first day of school up until testing day.—Cavin, Feb 5, 2008, EDCI 6304

Then there is the problem that if your scores are not good enough, your career is at risk because you could be placed on a (TINA) teacher in need of assistance and nobody would want that.--East, February 6, 2008, EDCI 6304

Teachers stress out because administration is always checking if you are following TAKS Objectives to the dot, or forcing students to wake up during test time. —Ray, Feb 8, 2008, EDCI 6304

Most schools are always under the pressure of TAKS, so they pressure teachers and the teachers pressure their students. The teachers who teach the upper grades have to go to trainings where they will learn strategies that will help their students. –Grace, Feb 10, 2008, EDCI 6304

Burn-out and demotivated

This test is one of the reasons we are losing so many good teachers. They have become burnt out. The kids are bored and sick of it, and so are the teachers. I could go on, but will stop there. I think you get the point. :)--Hannah, February 7, 2008, EDCI 6304

High stakes testing has affected so many educators today. Society wonders why we have a teacher shortage? Unless you teach in a grade level that does not test on TAKS, you pretty much enjoy life stress free. However, those teachers that do prepare for this test have to live with stress for the entire school year. When I was a teacher, the high stakes testing affected me in every aspect. I was always looking for innovative ideas in how to present my objectives. I had many sleepless nights and plenty of headaches with benchmark scores.—Nora Lamas, Feb 8, 2008, EDCI 6304

To read more about High Stake Test:
High Stake Test, Low Quality Learning—Challenging ...
High stake test: Effects on curriculum
High stake test: Effects on teachers
High stake test: Effects on students
High stake test: Evaluation
High stake test: Suggestions/solutions

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Wake-up: Transition from high school to college
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