Jocelyn Pitlick
318 E Sharp AVE,
Spokane, WA, 99258
[email protected]
(253) 350-8329
Dr. Alan Spicciati
Auburn School District
James P. Fugate Administration
915 Fourth Street NE
Auburn, WA 98002
Dear Dr. Spicciati,
I am a recent graduate of Auburn Riverside High School under the direction of the amazing Dave Halford. They provided free SAT testing for all juniors and seniors along with the PSAT for the underclassman. The downfall of it though is that they distribute the test in October and the teachers spend all of September and some of October getting students ready for the test. Yes, it is a very important test that predicts our futures, but it takes away over a month of learning from the actual subjects. I know from students complaining, that the tests/assessments are worth 95% of their grade, at least for ARHS. When I was there it was at least 80% tests/assessments and 10% homework. I would rarely do the homework since there was no point in it, but I would always stress out over the tests. I would only memorize the essential items that would be on the test. I wouldn't retain any of it because I would move on and discard any of the information that I retained to make room for the new information.
I am not the only one who stresses out over these tests. According to The Road to Rome by Jonathan Kozal, even the teachers stress over tests since it rates the child's ability to retain information AND tests how well the teachers do their job at teaching. The American Psychological Association conducted a survey and found out that about 30% of teens feel sad or depressed because of stress due to schoolwork (reported by NBC). There has been an extreme emphasis on the make-or-break tests in high school and especially in middle school that most students who make the transition from middle to high school go in with depression or anxiety. In fact, most teenagers report having more stress then adults during the school year. Most of the time it's too much stress for their health. Some kids stop eating because they don't have enough time or their stomach can't keep it down. Most kids don't realize how much stress can effect their mental and physical health.
I encourage you, Dr. Spicciati, to help me spread the awareness of the danger that all the tests and exams can do to the children. I am not concluding that eliminate all of the tests, but make sure that the education of the students does not only revolve around passing tests, but to make sure that they actually retain and enjoy school.
Thank you for taking time out of your busy day. I very much appreciate it. Sincerely,
Jocelyn Pitlick