Today, I read Robert Reich’ opinion through Diane Ravitch’ blog (19-2-2014). That describe what I felt so far. Like people in formal education (in school) will standardize students while most teachers also require them to think creatively outside standard boxes.
Look also how many people like his facebook page and also comments on Diane’s blog. For me, It reflects many people concern a lot of our future kids in education. Not to mention about excessive drilling to prepare those standardized tests.
Attach below is his statement:
Robert Reich
“I’ve been a teacher for most of my life, and few professions are more intrinsically rewarding. Yet I’m troubled by the direction we’re heading in, especially K-12 education. It makes sense for all kids to be brought up to a minimum level of proficiency in English and math, and standardized tests can help insure they are. But we’ve gone way overboard.
“We’re turning our schools into test-taking factories. We’re teaching children how to take standardized tests rather than how to think. The irony is we’re doing this at the very time when the economy is becoming less standardized than ever. Computers and software are taking over all routine, standardized tasks. The challenges of the future require the ability to solve and identify new problems, think creatively outside standard boxes, and work collaboratively with others. An obsessive focus on standardized tests can make our children less prepared for this future rather than better prepared.”
https://hedy.me/m/standardtest
