What Multiple-Choice Exams Don't Cover

What Multiple-Choice Exams Don't Cover

Regarding the article ''Reading, Writing, and Phonics Coming Back to Calif. Schools,'' July 11: It saddens me to see California, once the leader in educational reform and innovation, being brought to its knees by the shortsightedness of whoever is in charge of funding.

It is time to take a look at the testing programs that are being used to evaluate how much children know. Many of the tests no longer measure what is being taught in the classroom. They are multiple-choice tests based on surface-level memorization skills. Yet teachers are being held accountable for how children perform when the curriculum requires thinking and problem-solving.

I agree that all educators need to support standards of excellence, but also remember that there are all kinds of ways to learn, and flexibility is the key to teaching in the '90s.

Barbara A. Robinson

Grand Rapids, Mich.