The pressure to perform well on tests is overwhelming for many students at Lake Stevens High School, and many believe students prefer projects over tests as a better measure of their knowledge.
The science department, with their harsh grading at 40% in the exam category, often causes students to feel stressed and anxious. This grading system is unfair, as it doesn’t capture all the different ways students can show their true knowledge.
Standardized tests only measure a small portion of what the students know. It does not always account for their understanding of skills.
“I feel like presenting or doing a project is much easier. You are given so much time to work on, and with tests you only get one day to study, or at least for me,” junior Daniel Flores said.
Another student at LSHS feels that taking such high-stakes exams makes it harder for students to perform, and they worry about underachieving.
“It makes me extremely anxious and nervous because it makes me wonder if I’ll pass or fail, or how my teachers or anyone will react to it or like my parents, which just makes me feel more unprepared and stressed,” senior Samuel Orduna expressed.
Instead of relying on tests that don’t show the complete comprehension of students, the science department should recognize that students prefer projects over tests as a way to demonstrate their learning.
Biology teacher Kaitlin Coleman encourages her students to explain their reasoning, which shows a more accurate understanding of what they know.
“We’ve kind of developed our test to be short answers, and like thought provoking questions, I feel it’s better rather than just what’s the answer,” Coleman said. “I feel like just explaining novel situations explains what happened instead of just ABC or D answers.”
Science teachers should take into consideration that students prefer methods that focus on a student’s true ability and critical thinking, not just their ability to memorize a subject’s material.
Different methods to test the subjects would help reduce stress. It would provide a deeper learning and a more accurate picture of a student’s progress. After all, education is not only about getting the answers right, but about understanding and growth.
