Standardized Testing and Its Victims

Kohn, Alfie (September 27, 2000). Standardized Testing and Its Victims. EDUCATION WEEK, Retrieved 05/03/09, from http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/edweek/staiv.htm

This article was written nine years ago by Alfie Kohn. Mr. Kohn has strong opinion about standardized testing and he clamed that many students are victims of it. Mr. Kohn started his article by illustrate eight facts and he build his argument based on these facts. I was strike by some of these facts such as “Our children are tested to an extent that is unprecedented in our history an unparalleled anywhere else in the world” (Kohn, 2000, Education week) and the question her is why and what is relationship between this fact and the diversity of American society. Also Mr. Kohn stated in fact eight that “Many educators are leaving the field because of what is being done to schools in the name of "accountability" and "tougher standards”, (Kohn, 2000, Education week) because teachers are in first line in this battle I think their frustration about standardized testing should be taken seriously. Also I think Mr. Kohn connected all these facts very will to his point of view which is “The tests are just the means by which this game is played. It is a game that a lot of kids—predominantly kids of color—simply cannot win” (Kohn, 2000, Education week) I do agree with Mr. Kohn’s believe and I do think that “no child left behind” policy needs to be reviewed very carefully in order to accommodate the diversity of American society.