Re: “Maine students’ math and reading scores plummet during pandemic” (Oct. 24):

I have been an educator since 1988 and have a master’s degree in education. I love creating real-world learning situations and finding ways for each student to learn in the most effective and positive way for them. We all learn differently.

Standardized testing never helped me teach more effectively in all my years, nor did it help me to understand how a student learned or to plan learning experiences.

I’ve read a 2016 study that found, on average, U.S. teachers said they spend 14 days a school year preparing students for state testing and 12 days preparing them for district testing. Is this what is best for students? Has learning how to score well on a test helped us in our lives and careers?

This is a waste of time, effort and money. Many districts now spend millions on the testing and scoring and millions more on curriculum materials that teach to the test.

Why doesn’t Maine be a leader and give it up? Spend all that time and money on meaningful learning experiences for both students and teachers. Test every few years to get a measure of how the town’s students are doing as a whole. Many very prestigious colleges have even given up asking for SATs. They know tests do not predict success. Let’s focus on student learning.

Valerie Razsa
Gray