8th grade testing.

Sometimes I wonder if we give too many tests. Sometimes maybe we don't give enough. Is it the calling it a test or is it the consequences of the test that make them seem like a bad thing. For instance I could take a test tomorrow on world history and think nothing of it. I might think it is fun to see how well I could do. But if that test would decide my salary for the next 10 years I would be too nervous to breathe.

I don't think a test for 8th graders would be a bad thing as long as there is no unnecessary pressure put on them to do well. If it were say a test to find what they might like to do when they get out of high school, then that is fine. Also a test to see where their strengths are in certain areas would be good. But it has to be explained to them so they know it is all about helping them and can't hurt them in any way. Will some blow it off? Yes. But that is why you have to sell it to the students. Get them to realize it is all about helping them.

I am not against testing students. I am not overly for it either. I think we should reexamine the tests we give and make sure we are accomplishing what we want with these tests with minimal negative effects.