Table of Contents
Standardized testing affects students of all ages. It affects their academic performance and well-being. Many studies show the disadvantages and advantages in how they impact schools. Standardized testing is a common argument whether it improves academic achievement or not and how it influences a student’s well-being.
The emotional effect it has on a student’s academic performance has a major impact on how they perform. For most students, it’s no easy task due to them being taught for the test in which for some students, is more difficult than others. They’ve been taught to understand the way the tests wants it not how they want it. As Bily stated, “Standardized testing results often creates a narrowly taught curriculum because these tests results are considered “high stakes” measurements. By Bily stating that test results create a narrowly taught curriculum, it shows that students are having to conform to the way it is being taught even if it’s not their way of understanding it.
Adapting to the Pressure
The common argument is that its the students responsibility to adapt to the pressure of the stress put on them to prepare for the test, no matter the age. When in reality it’s hard for them to do. However, they can still manage the stressors put on them to be able to perform at their highest level, but it doesn’t change the fact that it causes a negative influence. Children can suffer from negative thoughts such as: “If I don’t pass this test, I will never get a good job”. They can also suffer physiological symptoms such as tight muscles or trembling and distracting behaviours such as playing with a pencil. The emotional effect it has on students well being is crucial. If one is over stimulated on studying for a test, it can harm them as a whole, and weaken their education which can lead to bigger problems. “ Test anxiety is a chronic problem for as many as 25 percent of all students.
127 our experts are availableright now
Pressure to perform well on tests may exacerbate students’ natural anxiety, or create other, related problems. Hartman (1991) and Haas et al. (1990) collected many anecdotal comments from teachers who described their students’ test anxiety. The tests left many of the students feeling angry, frustrated, tired and upset”. This quote from Thomas further explains that the pressure for students to perform well on their tests increases anxiety and other related health problems. The effects it has on their mental health is one shouldn’t ignore either. It’s a crucial thing studies say to recognize especially among students.
Conclusion
One of the struggles students often face is negative self image due to them feeling like they don’t measure up to the standards of standardized testing. Standardized testing creates “winners” and losers.” The losers are those who get labeled as “my low students” “my learning disabled kids,” “my reluctant learners.” Even the winners are trapped by being caught up on a treadmill of achievement that they must stay on at all costs through at least sixteen years of schooling, and more often twenty years. The losers suffer loss of self-esteem, and the damage of “low expectations” (which research shows actually negatively influences performance – the book to read is Pygmalion in the Classroom: Teacher Expectation and Pupils’ Intellectual Development by Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson). The winners suffer loss of soul, since most of them are trained seals performing for fast-track parents and may reach midlife on a pinnacle of power and achievement, yet lack any connection to their deeper selves, to ethical principles, to aesthetic feelings, to spiritual aspirations, to compassion, creativity, and/or commitment to life (Mackenzie). As she highlighted, those who don’t measure up to the scores are seen as less than which harms a students mental health.
References
- American Psychological Association – Provides information on the emotional impact of standardized testing on students’ academic performance and well-being.
- National Center for Biotechnology Information – Presents research studies on the advantages and disadvantages of standardized testing in schools.
- National Library of Medicine – Offers a study on the influence of standardized testing on students’ academic achievement.
- Education Week – Features articles and news related to standardized testing and its impact on academic performance.
- Care.com – Explains the stress and pressure experienced by students during test preparation and its potential impact on their mental well-being.
- Harvard Education Publishing Group – Features research articles and publications on the impact of standardized testing on academic achievement and student well-being.
