Students are told that passing their AP, ACT, and SAT are essential for getting into a good college. If these tests are so essential, why are you making it so stressful? I remember racing against the clock as I was taking my PSAT my freshman year. I was freshly fourteen, trying to solve equations in my head and make connections to passages that went on for several pages. I had no time to calm myself down and write down my thought process on my sheet of paper. My test was automatically submitted as my heart was racing. My score came the next month…as a 901. If that was my real SAT score, the chances of my dream future coming true would have been crushed. The next week, I took a released PSAT at home on my own time.
It came back as a 1450.
New York Times author Megan surveyed several high schoolers in her article, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/19/learning/what-students-are-saying-about-timed-tests.html. She explained that all students were in agreement; time can not facilitate knowledge. How can a singular test score – not to mention an inaccurate one- summarize what we know and determine our future? If we are forced to live in a society that has students’ educations represented by a singular number, we should have the right to formulate it at our own pace. We have so much more about us that we can show to the world other than a number, let alone one that we were rushed to receive.
Besides student opinions, there is a more important piece of evidence: the facts.
I understand that having timed tests can increase students’ productivity and focus in the long run. However, deadlines for assignments are appropriately placed in schools. These deadlines are scientifically proven to spark and increase those same productivity and focus skills in students’ brains. Why are you assessing this skill on a test that determines our future? When will we use these skills in our future jobs? We won’t. According to professionals at The University of Notre Dame in the following article, https://freshwriting.nd.edu/essays/timed-tests-and-their-effect-on-student-performance/#:~:text=Timed%20tests%20are%20a%20major,to%20fully%20demonstrate%20their%20knowledge, the fastest students are almost never the smartest ones. It is a common misconception in education that students with mastery of a topic will solve the problem faster, but placing severe time constraints on a test is shown to have no positive correlation to test scores. Just as every student is a different learner, every student is a different test taker.
You have failed to accept and respect your students.
Schools are always so worried about having high test averages from their students for their reputation. Students are always worried about being rushed on the score that will determine our future. The facts are set in stone. The scores will increase drastically. Why can’t we make it easier for the both of us, by making the change? All I have is a voice, one that won’t be heard. Only you can make the change. Only you can be heard
We are waiting on you.
