Nowadays testing has an extremely prominent place in education. The preparation required for examinations places limits on teachers as well as considerable amounts of stress on the students. While some testing may be necessary to gain a better understanding of what the child has learned, I completely agree that excessive testing is too restricting for teachers.
Furthermore, it can actually inhibit students’ learning and potentially be damaging over the long term.
Firstly, with the heavy emphasis placed on exams, teachers must teach only to the test. The result of this is that teachers cannot take the time to answer students’ questions about the content. This is because there is only time to teach what is going to be present in the exam. This squashes children’s natural interest in subjects.
Another point to consider is that studies have shown that any student, regardless of age or subject, needs time to consolidate learning before being tested. A student who is tested too soon may get a low mark which is actually not representative of this student’s learning.
Continual testing, therefore, does not take in account students’ natural developmental stages.
Finally, the amount of stress placed on students to pass all these exams is not healthy. The continual cycle of preparing for a test and taking a test can exhaust and burn out even the most motivated students. This is particularly dangerous when pupils are still young. It also removes the natural joy that comes from learning for both teachers and students when exams are constantly looming over their heads.
In conclusion, although a certain amount of testing will always be required at schools, I firmly believe that the current emphasis placed on tests is unnecessary and could have long term negative effects on students.
Nowadays
testing
has an
extremely
prominent place in education. The preparation required for examinations places limits on
teachers
as well
as considerable amounts of
stress
on the
students
. While
some
testing
may be necessary to gain a better understanding of what the child has learned, I completely
agree
that excessive
testing
is too restricting for teachers.
Furthermore
, it can actually inhibit
students’
learning and
potentially
be damaging over the long term.
Firstly
, with the heavy emphasis placed on exams,
teachers
must
teach
only
to the
test
. The result of this is that
teachers
cannot take the time to answer
students’
questions about the content. This is
because
there is
only
time to teach what is going to be present in the exam. This squashes children’s natural interest in subjects.
Another point to consider is that studies have shown that any
student
, regardless of age or subject, needs time to consolidate learning
before
being
tested
. A
student
who is
tested
too
soon
may
get
a low mark which is actually not representative of this
student’s
learning.
Continual
testing
,
therefore
, does not take in account
students’
natural developmental stages.
Finally
, the amount of
stress
placed on
students
to pass all these exams is not healthy. The continual cycle of preparing for a
test
and taking a
test
can exhaust and burn out even the most motivated
students
. This is
particularly
dangerous
when pupils are
still
young. It
also
removes the natural joy that
comes
from learning for both
teachers
and
students
when exams are
constantly
looming over their heads.
In conclusion
, although a certain amount of
testing
will always
be required
at schools, I
firmly
believe that the
current
emphasis placed on
tests
is unnecessary and could have long term
negative
effects on
students
.