What Is the Purpose of Testing?
What are tests for and why do we need to do them? Here are my thoughts and encouragement for you about state testing and tests in general.
Watch the video and have a discussion with your class or someone you know. Below, there are some suggested questions or writing prompts.
Testing. Testing. Testing. It's time for a pop quiz!
Tests serve a purpose. I think there are three main reasons why tests are important. They don’t just help the teachers, they help you too.
Accountability
Testing is for you and your teacher.
Tests add a little pressure to you, so that you will take the time to learn what you are supposed to learn. You will probably feel challenged by tests. Being challenged helps spur growth academically, as well as personally. If you are never challenged to do hard things, when hard things come your way you will have a more difficult time dealing with them.
A test helps you know whether or not you are getting the information that is being taught to you. They help you know if you are doing the work correctly or not. It shines a light on what you know well and on the areas that you need help with so you can get the help you need to keep moving forward.
Teachers also need tests to know if their teaching is getting through to their students. If they see that many students struggled with a test, they will know whether or not a certain subject or topic needs more teaching or not.
Correction
Again, tests help you know if you are getting the work done correctly or not. It’s more difficult to move forward with your education if you never know what is right or wrong.
Maybe math is difficult for you. If you do math problems wrong and never learn what is correct, you can’t build a strong foundation for growing and learning that will help you in the future.
Direction
Testing helps you understand where you are at, so you know where you need to go.
Whether you get right or wrong answers, tests help you know your next steps. Maybe your next steps are moving forward with more challenging work or it’s going back to learn some of the basics. Either way, you have a direction you know you can go to keep moving forward.
Testing can be hard and you might have anxiety about it. Take a deep breath and do your best.
Testing is not about getting the best grades. It’s about finding out what you know, so you can continue to grow. When you get something wrong, don’t worry too much about it. Dig deeper to find out why you got it wrong and move forward with the new information. This is how you learn.
Questions for discussion and writing prompts:
How do you feel about tests and state testing?
Do you agree with my three reasons for testing? Why or why not? Do you have other reasons for testing? Let me know.
Do you feel better knowing why tests are necessary? Why or why not?
What can you do to feel less anxious about tests? Would you like to share with someone?
Does it help knowing that other students worry about tests too? Why or why not?
Do you get pop quizzes?
Activity: As a class, brainstorm ideas to feel less anxious about tests. This activity might help some students discover ways to cope with test anxiety. (Some ideas: deep breathing before a test, studying alone or with friends, an all class study session, have a snack before the test, remember that tests help you know where you are at so you know where you are going, etc. What are some of the ideas your class came up with?)
