"There is a notion that the manner in which the U.S. assesses students needs to be re-vamped. I am in complete agreement that state testing of our children needs to be overhauled. Removing the notion of 'teaching to the test' is perhaps the most meaningful thing that can be done...but how do we do this? More than the testing, an entire mindset of administrators, politicians, and powers-that-be needs to be addressed. These individuals (the ones that have the power) need to really start to consider the United States students' preparedness for the dynamic world of the 21st century and beyond. The world is not waiting for us.
So, how do we instill and assess critical thinking in children? One way is to have students exposed to a greater number of open-ended response questions on assessments throughout the school year. Another way is to implement more IPM instructional methods into curriculum. Multiple choice (fixed response) tests are not effective at accurately assessing one's critical thinking. Assessments that get people to really start thinking about the big picture and to craft an articulate response are essay questions, short answer responses, and portfolio projects.
One other measure that requires consideration is year-round schooling. After all, summer vacation was originally developed [many, many years ago] so children could work on the farm. This dynamic doesn't have as much of an impact in today's United States. The summer schedule could be abbreviated, but would still prevent the mind from getting stale, and enable teachers to make more connections to the world of today."
