Kohn, Alfie. (2000).
The Case Against Standardized Testing: Raising the
Scores, Ruining the Schools.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Much of the material in The Case Against Standardized
Testing: Raising the Scores, Ruining the Schools was adapted from Kohn's
seventh book The Schools Our Children Deserve: Moving Beyond Traditional
Classrooms and "Tougher Standards" (1999). Kohn is well known
in educational circles for his views on intrinsic vs. extrinsic student
motivation and for his opposition to standardized testing. He has
also gained some notoriety for an article published in the April 1998 Phi
Delta Kappan, "Only for My Kid: How Privileged Parents Are Undermining
School Reform." As the white, middle-class parent of two honor
students--typical of the parent Kohn refers to as "robber barons" in this
article--I will confess to a bias against certain of his views.
In his newest book, Kohn focuses primarily
on attacking the failure of standardized testing. His goal is to
give teachers the arguments and evidence they need to respond when administrators
and parents foist standardized testing into their classrooms. The
format is in the form of questions and answers. Questions are raised,
and Kohn provides the responses. At his best, Kohn presents very
compelling arguments, arguing convincingly that the tests not
only do not do what they are supposed to do--measure and increase student
learning--but that they actually undermine true education. Kohn is
less successful when proposing what should be used in their place.
I suspect that his suggestions will be viewed as exactly the type of constructivist
nonsense that proponents of standardized testing are fighting against.
The book is also something of a call to arms
for teachers. In the last section of the book, "Fighting the Tests,"
Kohn gives specific suggestions about what teachers can do. He holds
up as an example one teacher who refused to administer a test, even though
he risked losing his job. Suggestions for teachers include speaking
out at every opportunity: "in line at the supermarket, in the dentist's
waiting room, on airplanes, at the hairdressers and the playgrounds, at
dinner parties and children's birthday parties." He also includes
a letter protesting the use of standardized tests that teachers can give
to parents to send to administrators and board members.
Given the modest price of this book and Kohn's reputation, it is a good choice for small libraries with limited budgets and for teacher resource collections. Many academic libraries will already own Kohn's books, but standardized testing is a hot topic, and I noticed that most of our books are currently charged. Although researchers and graduate students will need to use The Schools Our Children Deserve, this title will be useful for undergraduates, parents, or persons who do not need the depth of information provided in the longer book.
Pages: 94
Price: $10.00
ISBN: 0 325 00325 4
Reviewed by Sharon Naylor, Illinois State University
