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43-441-2002

 

Well in my English classes we focused on writing persuasive papers in order to prepare for the TAAS test. It was cool at first because we needed to learn how to make those type of papers good but the down side was the fact that in my English classes I never wrote another type of paper they were always persuasive. Yes it prepared us for it but by the time we took the test we were all tired of writing those papers. I don't think I learned anything from TAAS while I was in High School . . .  it seems like it was the same thing I took when I was in 8th grade.

 

 

43-442-2002

 

WEll the TAAS basically was an experience I have dealt with for the past 10 years. Every year I had to take the test and every year I seemed to have scored really well on it. The classes I took when I was a sophomore really help me prepare for the TAAS testing and really improved my scores much more. I was in the Academic Decathalon and Honors English Honors Math courses that really prepared all students for the exit level TAAS. In effect I was really satisfied with my scores in being exempt from TASP and really getting the priveledge to graduate from high school.

 

 

43-443-2002

 

Well . . .  all through school preparing for TAAS was just a waste of time to me. I have known the rules for writing a decent paper for as long as I can remember. I needed help making the content interesting which I am yet to learn from a teacher of any kind. Because of this I got a two on my writing portion and I believe only missed two on my multipule choice section. (through ACT I was TASP exempt) So TAAS was pointless. All tests are in general! No one could ever begin to grade or rate my intelligence or the intelligence of anyone. How dare you people even try! Down with all tests exams quizzes and all other tests either written or oral! I could have passed the TAAS test in 8th grade . . .  Besides the paper part. I still lack the ability to express myself with a sheet of paper and a pencil.

 

Your Buddy

 

 

43-444-2002

 

What can I say its and english test that we have been required to take every year as far back as I can remeber. The topics themselves were never ver hard and laid out well. You either were quite fermiliar with the topic or had least touched on it a few times.I have never had a problem with the TASS writing test English being one of my strong suits. I was one of the people that woukld always run out of room at the and and would have to go back and rewrite and revise to make it all fit. The test as many others would agree was not all that its reputation made it out to be. it was much easyer done that people wanted to admit. I guess just the fact that we were made to take it set the mood for unhappiness. The fact that that we were made to sit in a room for countless hours not being able to talk. and waiting for that last person to finish made the experience a little less enjoyable

 

 

43-445-2002

 

What I remember about the test was that it wasn't too easy or too hard. I did very will in all three areas. To be honest I studied the night before with some type of practive book I had. I think that helped out a lot. It was a good experience because I was able to do well and see where my learning level was at. I would say it was a good educational experience.

 

 

43-446-2002

 

What was the purpose of TAAS? I mean it was a test that we had to take in order to graduate but for what? What did it prove? I am not complaining because I did bad on the test because I didn't and I passed everything that was required I would just like to know why we had to take it? it was pointless to me and all the class that we had to take because of it were point less also.

 

 

43-447-2002

 

What were my expierences with TAAS? Well I personally think that the test should be done away with. It has no purpose anymore. As I went from grade-school through high school, it seemed as though all the teachers were “trained” to do TAAS, sleep TAAS and eat TAAS. Why? This test did me no good. I am now in college and I feel that I am not prepared at all. TAAS is not what college is about. For instance in high school all the math teachers would work together to help those who were having problems with that particular section, and all those who did what they were supposed to just were forgot about. And “helping” them included giving them parties, taking them out of class to meet with councselors (knowing that they only got out of class to get out) and letting them do what they wanted to do. Now with this in mind TAAS just seemed as a waste of time and energy. If the students don't care as much to pass the first time, then why waste time to “push” them to pass the second? Its like I said, a waste of time and energy.

 

 

43-448-2002

 

When I was in Middle school English class we wrote a lot of papers and read a lot of passages but we wrote and read more TAAS passages than I would ever like to see again. Being a pretty good student I felt pressured to do good on the test. So even in middle school I was a worrier. I stressed so much for TAAS. I would get stomach aches right before the test and it would hurt all week until the whole test was finished. In high school all we did was practice for TAAS. My freshman year in Pre AP english we did some other stuff and it wasn't that bad. But getting to write something not a TAAS prompt was very difficult. None of us knew how to write a regular paper. So once we got in to the hang of writing timed writings and the such when we got in to Pre AP English 2 we went back to writing TAAS prompts since the TAAS was coming up. I felt prepared for it but at times I felt too prepared. All we did for weeks on end is do practice TAAS tests. The teachers would put pressure but more you put more pressure on yourself so you would not let down your teachers and school with bad test results. So when we got into AP English 3 none of knew how to write any paper but a TAAS prompt. So when the AP test came we were really stressed and when we started taking the SAT and ACT we didn't know how to take it because we didn't study it as much as we had practiced for the TAAS. Also the TAAS rules were too strict like we couldn't read a book when we were finished but we could eat drink and play cards when we were finished. I never understood how reading a book could help anyone else in taking the test. Some rules were necessary but others were just stupid.

 

 

43-449-2002

 

When I was preparing to take the SATs and ACTs my school prepared us during our English classes. Our teachers gave us practice quizes that were in standardized form just like the actual test we would be taking. I went to a private high school so we didn't take the TAAS. But I did take the TASP which is pretty much the same. With the ACTs and SATs there is no wriiten essay but in the TASP there is. To prepare for this I reviewed the concepts of writing a paper. When taking any of these exams there was an immense amount of tension and nervousness.

 

Overall this experience was good for me because it helped my study skills throughout high.

 

I have never taken English 1301 . . . I took an essay placement test for English and tested out of it so they put me in English 1302.

 

 

43-450-2002

 

When in high school the students were required to take standarized tests in order to graduate. One of the main parts of these tests including the SAT was English verbal and written. In order to ensure acceptable high scores each teacher were required by my school to spend at least one class period on the reviewing information from the test with the students. That included SAT vocabulary along with writing essays and doing analogies of words. Truthfully I hated class during that time. I felt that it was a waste of my time to be there to learn about roots and what is similar to what. I felt the whole testing was overrated and frankly speaking stupid. The only thing I liked was an easy A for the quizzes. I found it hard to stay awake during class and often found some excuse to miss the reviews. I really disliked it because instead of learning what we really needed to get out of the class for the day we were learning stuff we would never need except for one morning out of our lives. It was further annoying when they started pulling us out of necessary classes that were needed to graduate in order to prepare for these tests. It often set me back behind other students and I had to work hard in order to keep at the same level as the other students. But as much as I dislike the tests and the preparation I do find that it did help in the knowledge aspect. Although low scores can be discouraging high scores are motivating and it does teach the students extra information that is good for the student to know. It does help make the transition of classes from high school to college easier in a way because of this extra knowledge. The thing I would recommend is not to make the review monotonous and to not make it seem like a chore. Students might respond to the testing a lot better if it isnt stressed about and if people would stop making it seem like a life and death situation. It would be better if people would stop saying it determines your life.