School is for Kids
By Dr. Carole Hankin with Randi T. Sachs

Why is it that we can’t have a discussion about school anymore without mentioning the “T” word? Tests are not what school is all about. School is about learning, and learning, when presented in an interesting way, is what children most enjoy. Parents, teachers, and students all need to focus on what is really important about school: getting an education.

The purpose of most standardized testing is not to test the individual child, but to see how the school’s curriculum matches up to a chosen standard. Certainly, it is understandable that school administrators and teachers are concerned that their students perform well on these tests. But they should not be an overwhelming concern for students and parents. Parents should know when their child is learning in school. The more verbal child will share some of his or her new knowledge with them, and will have something to say when parents ask, “What did you do in school today?” But, all children will demonstrate in other ways that they are learning; increased interest in reading, improved academic skills, and even more mature behavior generally indicate that a child is learning in school.

It is ironic that at the same time that educators have recognized the importance of teaching our children skills they can use to enhance their learning across the board, like critical thinking, research methods, and interdisciplinary studies, we are also mandated to administer tests that have a much narrower focus. Although we are obligated to continue to give these tests, we are also obligated to make sure that these tests do not obscure the mission of our schools.

Our school district has made a very strong commitment to making the arts and music an integral part of our students’ education. The benefits of these programs are not measured by testing, but they are clearly evident in the performance of our children. Children who are given the opportunity to study art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art display what they have learned by producing their own works of art that show a strong appreciation for an artist’s style and methodology. Students who are given the opportunity to study music with professionals are able to improve their performance significantly in a very short period of time. The gains our students make from these experiences are unmeasurable, but they are in no way less valuable than the knowledge demonstrated by correct answers on a test. We, as advocates for education, must make certain that these types of learning experiences are not sacrificed because of testing requirements.

If your children express concern about tests over the coming year, assure them that learning and doing their best is what they should be concentrating on. We are now at the beginning of a new school year. One of the best things about school is that each September our children are given the chance to make a fresh start. Let’s make sure that our children measure their success this year by how much they learn and how much they enjoy school.