Standardized Tests

I have always been opposed to standardized tests for several reasons and after our jeopardy game I really decided that I was against them. The questions on the TCAP tests are a little ridiculous. I don't think that young children should be expected to remember so many dates and places. A lot of the material on the tests were things that I never remember learning in school. I think that the system has failed our children, if these tests are the tools that measure their intelligence and measure a teachers abilities. I do believe that kids should be tested on certain things and that they need to know the important dates in history but it is not neccessary for a child to learn every single date in US history in order to become a succesful, well rounded adult. I wish there was a way that we as future teachers could change the way in which are students were tested. The sad reality for now though is that the tests are still set up the same way and as educators we must make the decision on how to teach social studies and what we feel is important content to teach in the social studies classroom.