Education Reform

We are judging kids on their ability to know the same specific information as one another and to learn ways of finding the right multiple choice answers. In turn, we are not promoting the individuals and free thinkers that kids are already inclined to be. (3)

"All you're learning about is how to fill out a little bubble on an exam...," said Obama in a recent speech on education reform. He is hoping to decrease the amount of standardized testing from every year to every few years. (1) He is moving us in the right direction. Many other countries are much more successful in education by using alternate methods of learning. Countries such as Singapore and Finland assess children's success on the quality of their various projects and activities. These children end up doing better on standardized tests anyways. (2) When kids do more of what they want and there is less concentration on test preparation, they can be successful in what they enjoy most. Kids can also be more accepting of the work that they don't have as much interest in when it is mixed with what they like.

Not only does a focus on testing limit learning, it also doesn't effectively assess a child's capabilities. Along with a greater concentration on projects, kids could be judged periodically by professionals on their success and improvement.(3)

Hopefully we can continue to step in the right direction in education so that kids can really understand what great options they have earlier on and take an interest in school.


(1) Werner, Erica. "Obama Discusses Pitfalls of Standardized Tests At Town Hall."
               Huffington Post. AOL, 28Mar2011. Web. 29 Apr 2011.
               <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/28/obama-standardized-tests_n_841464.html>.

(2) Levine, Joshua. "Finland's Educational Success? The Anti-Tiger Mother Approach."
                Time. 11Apr2007: n. pag. Web. 29 Apr 2011. <http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,917
                1,2062419-2,00.htm>.

(3)  "How Standardized Testing Damages Education." FairTest. N.p., 20Aug2007. Web. 29 Apr 2011.
                   <http://fairtest.org/facts/howharm.htm>.