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Accepting standardized testing isn’t going anywhere, focusing on harm reduction instead
Avoiding Goodhart’s Law in your classroom
Read time: 3 minutes & 32 seconds
Simplified, Goodhart’s Law explains when a measure becomes a target, it is no longer a good measure.
When participants are faced with a target, it is almost exclusively framed as a defining metric.
Good vs. bad. Successful vs. unsuccessful. Winners vs. losers. Intelligent vs. ignorant.
Naturally, participants begin to focus on and optimize their strategies to cross the threshold into the good, winning category.
This means they quickly start neglecting any other aspects of the situation, many of which are equally as important as the scored metric.
As obvious as it may seem, we’re faced with the repercussions of Goodhart’s Law constantly throughout our day-to-day lives.
Toilet paper manufacturers shrink the size of their squares, then they say their rolls contain more sheets per roll. They begin selling smaller squares on smaller rolls at a higher price. The packaging boasts that their brand is the best bang for your buck, but is it really?
Failing or skipping the parallel parking section on the driver’s exam only drops participants' scores by a small amount, so it can be ignored completely. Drivers across the country cannot parallel park, leading to traffic issues in tight city centers.
And, what we’re here to talk about today: students cram information to pass sections of a standardized test. They retain very little information and cannot apply most of it outside of the classroom. When standardized tests are held as a top priority, students may be learning less than they would if there were no metrics at all.
Here’s the deal: we know that standardized testing isn’t going away. This means we have to find the best way to navigate testing that helps us build a positive, rich learning environment while continuing to meet expectations.
How can we do it? Let’s dig in ⤵️
#1: Investigate redundancy in testing
Before you can make the shift and start teaching your students to learn, you have to build a solid understanding of your students’ testing landscape.
Investigate testing mandates from the state, county, district, and your school. Look for testing schedules and overlapping material. Make note of how much of a student’s classroom career is dedicated to test-taking.
We’ve found that many districts have compounded tests as a way of preparing students for the big test. Look for ways to reduce redundancy and clear schedules for instruction, not testing.
#2: Ditch summative assessments as part of instruction
Every piece of feedback shouldn’t mirror the big test, and practice tests shouldn’t stand in the way of fostering a rich learning environment.
Utilize formative assessments as much as possible.
Tools like exit tickets, reflective prompts, and group discussions create valuable feedback for both students and yourself.
Then, use that feedback to pivot your lesson plans in real time, meeting the real needs of your students.
Summative assessments can give students the opportunity to comfortably share their understanding of a topic without fear of judgment or repercussion. In the long run, these assessments can build real knowledge that sticks.
#3: Mastery over memorization
Memorization is short-lived and ineffective.
Cross-disciplinary projects and spaced repetition can reduce the amount of memorization and increase mastery.
When students are required to recall knowledge and apply it outside of a structured lesson, they retain the knowledge. And, they’re more likely to continue applying it in real-world situations.
#4: Open-ended projects
Standardized testing leaves little to no room for creativity and independent thinking. Educators can combat this by making room for creative, individual expression throughout their instruction.
Giving students a platform to express themselves and follow their own interests is key. Tying at least one student-led project into each unit can encourage students to think outside the box while continuing to meet standard requirements.
These projects offer long-standing skills that go beyond the test.
#5: Be honest about the role of the test
Over-valuing the test doesn’t increase scores, but it will increase anxiety.
Taking an age-appropriate approach to demystifying standardized tests will help reduce anxious feelings and give students a real understanding of the purpose behind the hype.
Take a hard look at what tests measure (and what they don’t). Clarify what the scores will be used to determine.
Explain that testing is just one aspect of their learning journey, and that they are not defined by their scores.
Giving students a real understanding of the expectations and the results of scoring can help ease test-taking anxiety, allowing students to do their best.
Teaching in a test-driven environment can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. We’re here to help you navigate standardized testing and rich learning experiences simultaneously. ✅
P.S. We want to hear from you! Respond to this email and let us know what topic you’d like to see us break down next. How can we help you make this the best school year yet?