Initial+Proposal

When I decided to do my senior seminar project on mandated standardized tests, I wanted to know why schools concentrate on the outcome of tests instead of the student's ability to perform as a person. Personally, I'm not the best test taker and I know a lot of people who are the same way. I can perform a task better than answering questions on something. I feel that students are worrying about what's going to happening if they fail a test, so they stop doing their daily activities to concentrate on passing them. I want to talk to students from different schools and ask for their help. I want them to be honest with me by filling out a survey or doing an interview. I want to know how students change their lives when they have to study for a test and how they feel about having to take them if they aren't a good test taker. I don't want to prove that test are not important, but I do want to prove that test scores aren't everything. When I start to do my research I plan on using sources that will allow me to see how schools connect with their students. I want to find out if students are getting the chance to work with their teachers and get help if they are stressing out. So far I have been using Gale Group in order to see people's opinions. I have also used resources from journals and found a couple on schools that allow students to give their point of view. I will ask my mentor to help me with my project because she's in touch with different schools and can help me get a chance to meet with students and hopefully principals too. Since my mentor is a lawyer, she can help me with the questions I should be asking as well. I know I'm going to run into some problems with my project because I have to find a way to meet with students from different schools when I have to go to school myself. This is going to be a challenge that I'm going to have to face, but I think I will be able to make this a fun and interesting project to do.