Dear WRLW:

Reading your STAAR Test article (Vol. 3, No. 41, “I pro-test the Lone STAAR State”) brought me back to my younger years. As a student I made above average grades, but worked hard for them. I understand test anxiety. My daily scores on homework assignments, small tests and projects are where I excelled.

Major tests for the semester or year were terrifying to me and my test anxiety kicked in. The fear would make my mind go blank and I would panic. Typically, I scored lower on these type of tests. Reviewing my career, I have found no ramifications from a lower grade on the annual test. I agree with you. The point of moving forward is that the student has learned the material. Not how well they take a huge, intimidating test.

My belief is that we need to go back to the years where a teacher and parent decides if a child is ready to move forward.

These people work with this student every day. If we don̓t have teachers who are capable of making a decision and need the State of Texas to do that, then our problem is not the child but the teachers.

We need to go back to teaching out children and not spending the time teaching them how to take a test or scaring them into fearing education and the learning process.

Sincerely,

Sandy Hewett

Dear WRLW:

Reading your STAAR Test article (Vol. 3, No. 41, “I pro-test the Lone STAAR State”) brought me back to my younger years. As a student I made above average grades, but worked hard for them. I understand test anxiety. My daily scores on homework assignments, small tests and projects are where I excelled.

Major tests for the semester or year were terrifying to me and my test anxiety kicked in. The fear would make my mind go blank and I would panic. Typically, I scored lower on these type of tests. Reviewing my career, I have found no ramifications from a lower grade on the annual test. I agree with you. The point of moving forward is that the student has learned the material. Not how well they take a huge, intimidating test.

My belief is that we need to go back to the years where a teacher and parent decides if a child is ready to move forward.

These people work with this student every day. If we don̓t have teachers who are capable of making a decision and need the State of Texas to do that, then our problem is not the child but the teachers.

We need to go back to teaching out children and not spending the time teaching them how to take a test or scaring them into fearing education and the learning process.

Sincerely,

Sandy Hewett

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