Why I Like Tests - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher - 0 views
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Jeff Bernstein on 30 Oct 11That's right. I am not opposed to testing. Tests are frequently the fastest, most direct way of uncovering what your students have learned. There's no point in cobbling together an "authentic" task if what you're shooting for is a quick check on which kiddos can reliably multiply by fives or spell "democracy." Rockets, volcanoes and bubble bombs are fun to create and explode, but somewhere in there, shouldn't students be able to describe the chemical reactions that occur when you combine baking soda and vinegar? Isn't that the point of hands-on learning, illustrating knowledge to drive home key points of content?