Testing.....

Alright, so this is my soap box of the day.....I just have to get this out!

In New York , there is a new testing program being established for Kindergartners. 65 Principals have already expressed interest in incorporating into their school systems. These tests would be approximately 60-90 minutes in length...written. Kindergatners are currently only tested in literacy, and those are 20-30 minute one on one exams with a teacher. Of course, pupils grades will not be effected by these tests. They are purely for assessment. Those involved say that testers would not have feelings of stress, anxiety or evaluation. Yeah right.

Why in the history of the world would a 5 year old need to take a 90 minutes assessment test??? What is the purpose? Maybe it's just me, but I don't even know a 5 year old who can concentrate on a coloring book for more than 10 minutes, let alone a math problem. Besides, do kindergartners even learn math? All I can remember from kindergarten is that I was told to color in the lines.

Yes, testing has its purposes. But for 5 year olds? Come on! We are turning our children in mechanical beings, robots that can perform and be measured. But what do we do with the ones that cannot perform to our expectations? Do we simply throw them out?

Whatever happened to coloring in kindergarten? To playing on the playground, drinking juice and eating goldfish crackers?

Whatever happened to just letting kids be kids?