1. Cognitive Flexibility Hypertext Assignment March 20, 2002
Darlene Hofmeister
INSYS 497
Cognitive Flexibility Hypertext Assignment March 20, 2002
Activity for Title I Reading Students
Grades 3 - 5

2. Standardized Tests
Every year, millions of school children are faced with taking standardized
tests in their schools. Why are these tests given? Why do school districts
put so much importance on the scores? Do the scores for these tests
really matter?
This presentation will help you see what different people or groups
of people think about students taking these tests.
To begin, click on each of the topics on the left to see what each section
will be about. You do not have to go in order. Look at the headings and the
pictures. Decide what you will find out when you read. Click on the ‘Reading
Activity’ slide to see what you will be expected to do with the information
you read.
Once you know what you have to do, click on one of the ‘Perspective’ slides and begin reading.

3. Student’s Perspective
Why do we have to take these dumb tests anyway? I have
worked hard all year long trying to improve my reading. I have
gone to Title I every day since September. I know how to read
a lot more words than I could at the beginning of the year. I can
find the important information in an article and understand what the
whole article is about. I can even highlight information to find
the correct answer to a question. But then when I try one of those
tests, the words are so hard and I get all confused and get lots
wrong. Who cares if I don’t do well anyway? It doesn’t count
for a grade on my report card. It won’t make me flunk the school
year, so I can’t see what difference it makes.

4. Parent’s Perspective
Every spring, my child has to take the standardized test
at school. I know that my child is just as smart as the other kids in his class.
But, I’m really nervous about his test score. If he scores below 50%, that means
half of the other kids in the United States did better on the test than he did. Last
year his score for reading was 31%. I’m really upset because another low score
will show that my child isn’t as smart as I thought he was.
Can you imagine what the neighbors will say? George next door is always
bragging about how smart Sally is. He’ll be over here telling me Sally’s score
and trying to get me to tell him what Fred’s score was. What am I supposed to
say? He won’t let up until I tell him. Then of course it will get all over the
neighborhood.
But what can I do? Should I punish him? Should I take away the computer?
Or should I blame his school? Should I blame his teacher? Maybe he needs
to be tutored or should go to summer school. I just have to see that his score
gets better.

5. Teacher’s Perspective
I am really torn. It is time for all of my students to take the standardized
test that the school district requires. I know that I have taught my students
many strategies to improve their reading. They have worked hard to learn
the skills that I have taught them. I do understand why the kids are so
upset about having to take them. The words and some of the questions are
too hard!!!
But then on the other hand, I have seen the test score reports that the
school district gets. Every one of my students is listed, so everybody knows
what scores my students got on the test. The principal sees those scores. The
curriculum director sees those scores. The superintendent sees those scores.
Then the newspaper publishes the school district’s scores. (Of course student’s
names are not put in the paper!) People start thinking, “What are those teachers
doing anyway? Can’t they even teach those kids to read?”
I know the tests are not going to go away. I guess all I can do is teach the
kids as much as possible and hope each one of them will try his or her best!

6. State’s Perspective
We, the state of Pennsylvania, must be sure that every child is learning
how to read and write and how to do math. We have to be sure that each
school district is giving the students the education they should have. By
giving standardized tests, we are able to compare how well each school
district is educating the children of that district. If we didn’t have the test
scores, how would be be able to tell if the schools and teachers are doing
their jobs?
The state of Pennsylvania gives a lot of tax money to schools to make
sure they can meet the educational needs of the children. If one school
district doesn’t have good scores, then maybe we’ll have to take over that
school like we did the Philadelphia schools. If those school districts can’t
have high enough scores, then we’ll stop giving them state tax money. Then
the people living in that district will just have to pay higher taxes to pay for
the schools.
Beginning next year, we are also going to make sure kids in the high
school don’t graduate unless their scores are high enough. We’ll give gold
seals or stickers on kids’ diplomas too, just to show which kids got higher
scores! Then people will start realizing just how important these tests are!

7. Conclusion
Standardized tests are here to stay, whether we like them or not.
Teachers must be prepared to help their students succeed.
Teachers must be sure their students know that reading tests are like the reading they do everyday and the same skills and strategies are to be used.
Students must try their best and use the skills that they have learned.
Students must take the tests seriously and think!
Parents must make sure their children get plenty of sleep each night before the tests.
Parents need to be sure their children eat a good breakfast before going to school on test days.

8. Reading Activity Before Reading:
How do you feel about taking standardized tests? Write your answer in the
pre-reading section of the next page.
After Reading:
For each perspective, list reasons why that person or group has the opinion
they do. Use the outline on the next page to record information.
HOW? Print all slides by clicking on the File icon. Click on ‘Print’. Under
‘Print What’ select Handouts. Make sure it says 6 per page. Click on ‘OK’.
On the printed copy, find phrases or sentences that tell exact reasons why
each person or group feels the way they do. Highlight that information.
Record that information on the outline. Then write how and why your ideas
have changed.

9. Response Outline Student Parent
Pre-reading feelings ____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________
Student
Parent
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________

10. Response Outline Teacher State
__________________________________________
__________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________
Explain how your ideas have changed. Why did your opinion change?
_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________