Field Testing

This week my students took the new PSSA state field test in science. While proctoring the exam, I saw many students puzzled, confused and some giving up. This was a very difficult test, with items from the 4th grade through 11th curricula...and my kids are only in 8th. I can only hope that the real deal will be a bit different. The field test is done and I'm sure well on its way to becoming the final edition, which is interesting since just this past week I took a short survey on my curriculum, and teaching methods, what references I use, whether I consult any of a number of standards, etc. The test is pretty much in the bag and we get to have input now. What an interesting concept.
The original test, which was canceled several years ago, had things like the weather on the 4th grade exam(according to the standards we were given), so our district jumped right on the ball and moved weather from 8th to 4th grade so the kids would have do better on the test. However, in 4th grade, many students are incapable of grasping some of the higher level ideas that come with the topic. If they can't put their hands on it, it tends to be tough. So with their limited abilities, they are supposed to remember what they really weren't educationally ready to learn and put it to use 4 years after they almost were capable of learning it. Doesn't sound a recipe for success. What I saw didn't really match with the state standards, and now, anchors that I've been using either. It makes me wonder if my school is headed in the right direction.
At any rate, this new test should shake things up a bit. The new test will sheppard schools into line. Maybe the entire idea of these standardized tests is to make it possible for students who move school to school to be able to pick up where they were in their old placements? My entire year was changed this year...it didn't go so well...maybe this new set of changes will be good. Who knows what topics I'll lose and gain. It should be another interesting year.
A school doing poorly out of the gate will make it easier to show improvement. :) I can't wait to see how this plays out.