---
[ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive)
# Schools: Testing is Killing Learning
April 18 2013
Written by Mary Elizabeth Williams.
[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
EDUCATION POLITICS - It’s called a “prep rally.” This week, New York public school students are taking their standardized tests, in line with the national [Common Core Learning Standards](http://www.edinformatics.com/testing/new_york_state/overview_of_common_core_sample_questions.pdf).
Last week, the principal of my third grader’s progressive, learn-by-doing school sent home a letter about the “overemphasis on assessments and the unintended consequences of using state tests to promote students and evaluate school,” a letter in which she promised the education our students receive there “cannot be measured by a single test score.”
And the next day, the faculty shepherded the entire student body into the gym to cheer for the students to “Do your best” and sing, to the tune of “Ghostbusters,” that they were “test crushers.”
The rally may have been a well-intentioned attempt to defuse students’ pre-test jitters. A school administrator later told me, “It wasn’t to further promote testing. It was just about increasing confidence.” Our principal echoed the sentiment, saying, “We did a very intense test prep this year.
We recognize that our kids were saturated and starting to feel overload. The kids seemed like they needed the let loose.” And, she noted, “The idea of bringing a group together to garner enthusiasm is something we do all the time.”
But the ultimate effect had a strangely “Hunger Games” tang to it – a mood of forced, rah-rah reassurance to the terrified children going into the arena, cheered on by those too young to yet participate.
Unnervingly, it was a scene being played out in other schools all around the country, as they too have prepared their students for a series of tests many have been practicing for since September. *([Read the rest … including why the songs were ‘evil’ … here)](http://www.salon.com/2013/04/18/testing_is_killing_learning/)*
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 11 Issue 32
Pub: Apr 19, 2013
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/116 "USA Radio Museum - Wide")
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad")
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)")
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)")
## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays
First Name
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/110 "Something You Should Know")
---
## Featured CityWatch Stories
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/housing/33755-three-things-nithya-raman-can-do-right-now-to-create-more-affordable-housing-in-los-angeles)
### [Three Things Nithya Raman Can Do (Right Now) to Create More Affordable Housing in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/housing/33755-three-things-nithya-raman-can-do-right-now-to-create-more-affordable-housing-in-los-angeles)
HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT - Nithya Raman will soon be the next mayor of Los Angeles, taking her oath of office in mid-De…
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/gelfand-s-world/33753-miracles-have-happened)
### [Miracles Have Happened](https://mail.citywatchla.com/gelfand-s-world/33753-miracles-have-happened)
GELFAND'S WORLD - It’s a week later, give or take a couple of days, and miracles have happened. The election of Scott C…
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/voices/33723-how-stephen-miller-destroyed-trumps-second-administration)
### [How Stephen Miller Destroyed Trump’s Second Administration](https://mail.citywatchla.com/voices/33723-how-stephen-miller-destroyed-trumps-second-administration)
THE VIEW FROM HERE - On September 1, 2025, this column explained how the vile, anti-Mexican racist Stephen Miller was d…
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33733-congratulations-nithya-raman-as-our-new-olympics-pro-unity-mayor)
### [Congratulations, Nithya Raman, As Our New Olympics, Pro-Unity Mayor!](https://mail.citywatchla.com/los-angeles/33733-congratulations-nithya-raman-as-our-new-olympics-pro-unity-mayor)
ALPERN AT LARGE - The uncertainty is OVER. We now know who will be our next Mayor, and we need a Leader, and a Uniter…
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022/33756-nithya-ramans-3-1-billion-war-on-cars-is-city-hall-serving-working-angelenos-or-wealthy-political-donors)
### [Nithya Raman’s $3.1 Billion War on Cars: Is City Hall Serving Working Angelenos or Wealthy Political Donors?](https://mail.citywatchla.com/la-election-2022/33756-nithya-ramans-3-1-billion-war-on-cars-is-city-hall-serving-working-angelenos-or-wealthy-political-donors)
THE BOTTOM LINE - As Los Angeles faces mounting financial pressures, the mayor-elect must explain why a multibillion-do…
---
## [ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive)
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/15339-early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles)### [Early Intervention and Jobs are Key to Stemming Chronic Homelessness in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/15339-early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles)
### [Tucker Carlson and Gay Rightwinger Blame California Wildfires On Hiring LGBTQ People](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/18755-tucker-carlson-and-gay-rightwinger-blame-california-wildfires-on-hiring-lgbtq-people)
### [Anti-LGBTQ Veep Just Can’t Stop Talking about Mayor Pete](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/17690-anti-lgbtq-veep-just-can-t-stop-talking-about-mayor-pete)
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/15316-news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties)### [NEWS PULSE: ‘Corrupt System’ Reason for Not Voting in 2018 … Majority Wants More Than Two Parties](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/15316-news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties)
[  ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/10245-dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles)### [Dead Dog Set on Fire … Sparks Fears for Strays in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive/10245-dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles)