Monday Matters #14

      There are a variety of test's students take throughout their student lives. For example, tests like the ACT, SAT, and even other test's like a test for history class that we get certain grades for the number correct we score. Some might consider those test to be easy and not as challenging. However, many disagree with Common Core State Standards, which is a set of quality academic standards in math and english language arts. One author, Grant Wiggins, took the time to look over eight graders math results specifically and found something that "appalled" him. He found that the hardest questions on those test's were "picayune, isolated, and needlessly complex calculations of numbers using scientific notation." In the article, there are examples that show how  poorly the students did. For example, there were five questions that the students faced but only 36% of all of New York 8th graders got them correct. The introduction to the tests that are about how items will be discussed were also criticized because the author also says that it "gets worse."Not only was the introduction criticized, but so was the "rationale" to the correct answers saying that all the other choices are "plausible" but they are incorrect in the decision made saying that thats when it "gets worse." He points out how in the rationale, the same sentences appear and the only changes made are the letter choices. There is no evidence shown and that all we learn is nothing about student understanding. "New York State teachers deserve better"