Testing Tots (Blog Post#8)

Observe: I recently came across a link that shocked me. It discusses how New York schools are being required to administer a new standardized test to kindergartener's. The tests have already started to be implemented, but schools aren't required to administer the exam until this coming spring.

Reflect: If I recall correctly, when I was kindergarten my biggest worry was that the center I wanted to play in would be full. I honestly cannot imagine the stress that these tests must be putting on the tiny children that are taking them. Kindergarten is the time when kids are creating their knowledge base, they're learning numbers, the ABC's,  etc. If I was given a standardized test in kindergarten I'm sure I would have failed it. The last picture I saw colored by a 5 year old looked something like this: 

So I'm really not sure how they can be expected to color in a tiny bubble to mark their answer. I'm a junior in college and I still make scantron mistakes, but I recognize them and can change them whereas a kindergartener probably doesn't think they made a mistake at all. Another thing that the article mentions is that teachers are struggling to teach students not to share answers. All their lives they have been taught that sharing is good and kind. They share their toys and their crayons so why should they not share their test responses? At such a young age these conflicting messages are more than confusing and the teachers know this. The teachers dislike the exams and believe that they are unfair but they don't seem to know what to do about them. Seems to me like they might need someone to show them a few resources and teach them how to IMAGINE a change...