"According to Erik Torenberg, "If a school’s ultimate goal is to get its students into a top college and a subsequent high-paying job, then yes, a focus on test-taking and test preparation is conducive to such a goal" (Where’s the finish line?, 01/17/2011). Well actually Erik, you're wrong. Schools that focus on test-taking strategies aren’t only concerned about getting their students into top-paying jobs". Well, a nice welcome to the Michigan Daily!
A quick response: I didn't say that schools that focus on test-taking strategies are only concerned about getting their students into top-paying jobs. Schools want to impart many skills onto their students. I said if a school's ultimate goal is jettisoning their students into top colleges, focusing on the criteria colleges will be evaluating makes sense. If a school prioritizes having their students succeed in college and beyond, they need to emphasize teaching different skill-set. The letter agrees: "Besides, college requires a vast amount of critical thinking — a skill that isn’t learned through test taking."
The letter ends with a very good point that I did not cover in my column: The federal government has undue influence on the way schools evaluate their students. If schools are financially rewarded from the state based on their test scores, they have every financial incentive to teach to the tests. I ended my column emphasizing the responsibility students have in their education. But this point begs the question: Is this primarily a bottom-up problem or top-down? To be sure, both can act. But does one party have more agency?
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