Product Details

• Actors: Alfie Kohn
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: National Professional Resources, Inc.
• VHS Release Date: August 22, 2000
• Run Time: 30 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 1887943439
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #583,258 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Teachers and administrators will learn that a preoccupation with raising standards may have exactly the opposite effect. Alfie Kohn, nationally-renowned lecturer and author, offers a powerful argument against the obsession with standardized tests and the tendency to place so much emphasis on student performance that the process of learning becomes endangered. Instead of motivating students to learn and teachers to excel, it will create a system drive by coercion, a fear of failure, and unrelenting competition between students, teachers, and schools, all of which undermine excellence.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Beyond the Standards Movement, May 2, 2007

By 

Amber - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond The Standards Movement: Defending Quality Education in an Age of Test Scores [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Alfie Kohn raises some very interesting points about standardized testing in our school systems. He argues that our kids do not think critically because teachers "cover" material instead of take an in depth look. Alfie Kohn claims that students need to exhibit learning like in the real world. As a teacher, I think that part of my student's real world is school. Is it possible for teachers to extend the students learning into their home life as well? As I look around at our schools, I see that many schools are becoming "test preparation centers" due to standardized testing. Alfie Kohn argues against our schools becoming "test prep centers" with teachers who are worried about raising test scores. If you are interested about learning more against standardized testing, then this video is for you.

4.0 out of 5 stars Standardized Testing, May 2, 2007

By 

C. Avedian - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beyond The Standards Movement: Defending Quality Education in an Age of Test Scores [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Aflie Kohn is a strong opponent of standardized tests and the pressures they are putting on schools, parents and students. He argues they are a more accurate measure of socioeconomic status than student knowledge. I agree with Kohn that too much value is placed on testing results. Now teachers tailor their instruction to teach exactly what the test assesses. Electives and enriching projects are eliminated in order to teach students meaningless facts. This video makes many valid points for eliminating standardized testing. He urges educators to take a stand. Hopefully it will make an impact on the future of student assessment.

4.0 out of 5 stars Test scores aren't the end-all, May 1, 2007

By 

A. Lukas - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beyond The Standards Movement: Defending Quality Education in an Age of Test Scores [VHS] (VHS Tape)

During a period of time in the school year when students are taking standardized tests, the points made on this video seem all too true. There are definite risks to overemphasizing achievement. The students and teachers should be focused more on the learning rather than the performance. When the results of tests are so emphasized, there are risks involved. Students end up being less interested in their learning, they become preocupied with their ability, they prefer easy tasks, they become devastated when they don't perform well, and the quality of their learning declines.
Ideally, we should be able to evaluate students in a variety of ways. I agree that there is too much emphasis on test scores, but in an age of No Child Left Behind, what can we do?