EQAO Standardized Testing
EQAO is provincial standardized testing that student’s take in grade 3, 6, and 9. EQAO testing focuses only on literacy and math, which causes stress for teachers, students and parents. Teachers already have a hard time getting through all of the curriculum material in the short school year adding EQAO testing in May becomes overwhelming.
Looking back at EQAO testing when I was growing up I remember knowing that my teacher was stressed and whole dynamic of the classroom changed. I went to a very small school so I was always in a split grade; this left my teacher trying to cover two grades and prepare us for testing all at once. EQAO was never a positive experience for me and doing these tests never taught me anything just caused anxiety and stress for myself.
Preparing for EQAO testing takes a lot of time from the subjects that are not tested such as art and science. Giving all students the same test that focus on only two subject areas is very limited. This test can leave students who are better in different subject areas with limited motivation and a negative view of tests. Although testing is often used to help improve learning EQAO testing does not do this. Five months after writing the test students are able to see their score but no review will be done. Without reviewing problems that students had during testing they will not learn anything from it.
EQAO provincial testing has many flaws and I believe that changes need to be made. An alternative to this could be to make EQAO testing random in doing this it may place less stress on the teacher and students and would represent average student knowledge.
Looking back at EQAO testing when I was growing up I remember knowing that my teacher was stressed and whole dynamic of the classroom changed. I went to a very small school so I was always in a split grade; this left my teacher trying to cover two grades and prepare us for testing all at once. EQAO was never a positive experience for me and doing these tests never taught me anything just caused anxiety and stress for myself.
Preparing for EQAO testing takes a lot of time from the subjects that are not tested such as art and science. Giving all students the same test that focus on only two subject areas is very limited. This test can leave students who are better in different subject areas with limited motivation and a negative view of tests. Although testing is often used to help improve learning EQAO testing does not do this. Five months after writing the test students are able to see their score but no review will be done. Without reviewing problems that students had during testing they will not learn anything from it.
EQAO provincial testing has many flaws and I believe that changes need to be made. An alternative to this could be to make EQAO testing random in doing this it may place less stress on the teacher and students and would represent average student knowledge.