"Life Is a Test!"

"Pop Quiz today!"; these words have sent fear and trepidation through the hearts of numerous students over the course of history. I'm sure most of you have been caught off guard by some teacher, when you were least prepared, and most vulnerable. Some of us learn from these experiences; some don't. Tests like these give us a valuable life lesson; be prepared, because life usually won't give you a "heads up" when you may be called upon to act. Plumbers, electricians, carpenters and auto mechanics all have areas of expertise in their fields. Many of those tradesmen go through an apprenticeship period with a certified expert in their chosen field; in other words, a teacher. During the course of their training, the expert will challenge the apprentice about certain situations and problems to see what the trainee knows; you know, a test. Doctors, lawyers, architects and druggists all have very specific training in order to become adept in their chosen professions, and each of those professions require rigorous study to attain a modicum of quality in their work. Testing of their knowledge is a priority in establishing a base with which to gauge the ability of those who seek to practice those professions. There isn't a teacher alive who can see the practical knowledge that rests in each student's brain without testing him. On Monday, our President, Barack Obama, made these statements: he believes students should take fewer standardized tests and too much testing makes education boring. "Too often what we have been doing is using these tests to punish students, or in some cases to punish schools": what is he talking about? It seems that Mr. Obama also believes attendance may be more important than the measurement of testing; now that sounds like a government program for sure, just show up and you'll get paid! I lived in Chicago and I understand this premise very well. Meanwhile, if we buy into this theory that testing isn't quite so necessary, we will develop a class of professionals who really don't have any expertise in their chosen fields, because they were never called upon to demonstrate it. For years now, we have been fed this malarkey about testing makes some students feel bad because they may not measure up to other students; guess what? Some people are smarter than others; that's a fact of life! Mr. President, I don't know about you, but I want my doctor to be rigorously tested; I want my lawyer to know all about the law. I also want the person who rewires my house to know what he or she is doing; it's important to me! We had quite a bit of standardized testing when I was in school and I believe we produced a generation of highly qualified people. We cannot take a step backward just to accommodate those who are not prepared. Unlike you Mr. President, not everyone can learn on the job!