Experience From The Field

Last week in my placement, I was able to sit down and talk with my CT for a bit about the Iowa test that my first graders were taking all week. I, personally, think the idea of first graders taking a week-long structured test is ridiculous, and my CT shared the same opinion. I observed the class on Friday, which was the last day of their testing and the students were very clearly drained and had shut down to any class work. My CT simply put in movies for the students to watch in the afternoon, rather than having them work.

I had the opportunity to look through the teacher's guide to the Iowa test. The thing that I was extremely surprised about is that the teacher can read the directions only once for the students. At such a young age, first graders need repetition. Reading the directions only once is in no way going to help the students to complete the test. My CT told me that this was the biggest aspect of the test that the students struggled with.

Finally, my CT told me about one of the students breaking down during the test. One of our students who is an absolute perfectionist started crying during a portion of the test because she didn't know what to do. She was so upset that she ended up going home early in the day and not completing that portion of the test. This is an awful experience for a child so young because from here on out, that student will more than likely have high anxiety about all the structured tests she will have to take in her future.

I am curious to see what you all think about structured tests like this for students so young.