This article was written for teachers. It talks about how educators need to get rid of their negativity towards standardized test before they can help the students do better on them. To gather research for their article they brought together a group of teachers to talk about children and testing. The goal of the seminar was to find out how students can help each other learn. As soon as the topic was brought up the authors of the article noticed that one of the teachers was fidgeting in her seat. She explained that she hated standardized tests.

This woman expressed how many teachers feel about tests. These attitudes and nonverbal messages can affect test scores. This is an important fact because many times teachers are expressing negative attitudes towards standardized testing. This may be done intentionally or not, but the students still get the message that their teacher do not like standardized test. Students need to see and hear from their teachers how important these test are. As educators our goal is to make the children as successful on standardized tests.

The first step towards helping students become successful on tests is for teachers to figure out what their attitudes are towards tests. There is a simple test called the “Twitch Test" that can do this. It is a simple four-question test that asks teachers to answer yes/no question about their own test taking experiences. Another step toward changing negative feeling about standardized test is to get rid of excess baggage. This means that teachers take all negative thoughts they have about standardized tests and write them down. Then they throw the list away, which is likened to throwing all bad feeling about these tests away. Teachers need to be reminded that they are doing this for the students.

Teachers are aware of how important tests are because they are held accountable for test results. Standardized test are used to determine many aspects of a child’s education. They determine which children will/will not receive academic opportunities and who will earn a high school diploma. The most important area standardized test affect is the student’s perception of their abilities. We need to have a positive attitude about testing because our students’ scores will reflect how we feel about the tests.

Bibliography

Taylor, K., & Walton, S. (2001). Test your attitude. Instructor, Jan/Feb 2001, 10-11.

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