Standarized Test

EWWWW EWWW EWWW EWWW EWWW, I think that saya exactly how I feel about standarized tests. I seriously hate them, but unfortunately they are part of the many test that as students we took and as future teachers our students will take. Standarized test are supposed to measure how smart some students are, but in reality it is something extra for students to worry about. When it comes to regular tests I get really nervous, and it's even worse when it comes to standarized tests. I still remember when I had to take the GEPA in eight grade and the HSPA my junior year of high school and thinking to myself " If I dont score high enough I will not be able to graduate". I was so scared that I would barely sleep at night, but after the test was over I felt ok, I felt confident, yet still nervous and I couldn't wait until the results came back and I clearly remember my junior year when a teacher came to each homeroom and called each student one by one and when I was called my hands were shaking and sweaty but when I saw my score I jumped and screamed "YES!" but theyre were also some students who were nto happy because their score was not passing.
I was happy because I had passed, but I have to say that much of the material on those type of test is not covered in class, and for some of us students whose first language is not english, those test are quite a challenge, especially in the reading/writing part.
Many students like me get nervous and don't score high enough because they are nervous and because of the time. If it was up to me, I would ban stadarized test -- lol -- but yet again that's just me.
On youtube I found this video and what the narratoe says isI believe is so true -- it is a very small video and it asks for people like us to visit a website.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkJlst6vDyY
In the other hand this other video shows how standarized test can place students in classes that can either be too challenging or not challenging enough for them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEhzvKPB7iw