35-291-2002
My TAAS preparation was long and time consuming. In Alief the district
makes you start working on TAAS in the second grade. By the time I was in middle
school. TAAS was one big boring test. I did well enough in the sixth grade that
they paid for me to take the PSAT's. Once in high school the TAAS had been
implanted into my head for so long that it really didn't even concern me once
it came around. I was more focused on that ridiculous SAT test that had no
relevance to anything that I had learned. I mastered all of the objectives on
the TAAS with an exeption of maybe one but I did great overall. I wish that the
TAAS was all I had to take.
35-292-2002
My TAAS test experience as far as the Reading and Writing parts was
very positive. After having been in Pre-AP classes for most of my junior high
and high school years I learned mostly writing so taking the TAAS test I felt
it was really easy. The reading part of the test was also really easy so I feel
that taking this test was below my level of education.
35-293-2002
My TAAS test was not important to me. By the time I took it I was
ahead of the learning curve and it was an insult to myself. I belive they
should either remove all standerized tests or the should raise the bar so that
those whe do not deserve to move on cannot.
35-294-2002
My TAAS testing experience began in the 4th grade. All year everything
we learned was in regards to TAAS. We especially focused on our math and
writing skills. I actually did very well on the TAAS so I wasn't nervous at all
the following year. It's not a test that will challenge you like the SAT it's
based soley on what you've learned. Teachers put alot of pressure on the
students because in order to be promoted into the next grade it is mandatory to
pass. This shouldn't be too difficult for most students yet I do believe the
time and effort teachers put into reviewing the TAAS helped alot. As boring as
may have seemed to be at times I felt comfortable and confident when I took the
TAAS because it was all familar to me. I remembered all the practice we did in
class and the advice the teachers gave us and was prepared for it. Overall my
TAAS experience was not at all difficult. I would tell any student not to worry
and be confident. I would tell any teacher to continue their lesson plans and
put aside a special time to review basic TAAS skills. That way students aren't
bombarded with TAAS work and can concentrate on the curriculum in their grade.
If teachers and students would work together everyone would benefit.
35-295-2002
My TAAS was not very memorable at all. I took TAAS 4 years ago so I
don't rmember much. I know we got free breakfast. I remember about taking TAAS
was thinking "what the heck is TAAS?" I'm from southern LA so I had
no idea what TAAS was. I also remember having to make up the writing portion
because I was VERY sick on the day that part was given. I know I did VERY well
bc I was exempt from the TASP so it must have been pretty easy.
35-296-2002
Now that I look back at the time I spent taking the TAAS test and
preparing for it I dont believe it is a waste of time. Whenever I was having to
take the test I would whine about it and not want to do anything for it. But it
actually is a good test that will test the skills and knowledge of everyone in
Texas. Some schools dont teach all the same things and therfore this test
determines that you have to know this information to graduate high school. This
way everyone is at least on the minimum skill level. Whenever you go to college
you are supposed to know many things you learned in highschool. All the things
that you need to know in college are things that you learned from preparing for
the TAAS test. Many students complain of the test but it really is not that
hard and it doesn't take too much time and effort. I would much rather be
studying for the TAAS test instead of reading a book or studying science notes.
Everyone must have a minimum level to learn or they wont know the information
that they would have to have to survive out in the real world.
35-297-2002
Okay the TAAS! What can I say about the TAAS. Okay, well I hated
preparing for that stupid test. I mean I attended Miller High School here in Corpus
and I know that the students there were not all that enthusiastic towards
school. So when it came to test we always came out ranked towads the bottom.
But that's not always the case because over the past couple of years we have
gone above the mark of “Recommended”. Enough about that. Okay I hated preparing
for that test because at school they would make us prepare so long and take so
many practice test, that it was ridiculous. And half the time that the test
wasn't even as hard as the practices. Maybe it could be because they prepared
us properly but if the State issued this test it is my personal opinon that I
didn't even know why they were giving the test because most of it was stuff
that we have know for the past 2-3 years. It didn't challenge me it didn't make
me feel better about myself when I passed. Because it was so simple and
personally it took time away from the things we needed to learn in order to
pass high school.
35-298-2002
On one hand I had no problems with the TAAS itself. I mastered all of
my objectives. For some people like myself it was not a problem it took
absolutley no studying nor did I even have to worry about passing or failing it
is a fairly easy test. On the other hand I don't think it should be mandatory
that we take this test in order to graduate high school. That to me is an
example of segregation. No body should be put on the spot like that. The TAAS
test is unfair to those students who struggle everyday with many learning
disabilities. If a student didn't want to be in high school they could just as
easily drop out rather than take TAAS test. For example my brother who is a
senior in high school has struggled with his writing since grammer
school.Rather than quit and give up it is now his fourth year to be taking the test
and although he mastered the math portion of his test he just cant seem to find
a way to pass his TAAS. I just think it is very narrow minded to base twelve
years of an education on a test that so many people struggle with.
35-299-2002
Overall the TAAS was not a learning experience. In my classes we would
take time out at the begining of each class period to do TAAS practice. Thoses
things never really helped. The TAAS was so easy that no one could fail it. The
TAAS does not show indivaul intelligence. It gives and average of how good a
school can prepare their students on how to take this test.
35-300-2002
Overall throughout high schoool the TAAS experience was not a fun
experience but I can say that it did serve its educational purpose. For a long
time it seemed as if TASS was all we did learn in high school but now that I
have graduated I can say differently. In comparison to the other exams that I
have taken I can safely say that I can remember the TAAS test being the
easiest. The level of difficulty of the TAAS test is far different from that of
the ACT or SAT. Consequently mastering the educational concepts of the TAAS
were not a difficult task for me personally.