First Lady didn't sweat tests. Why should you?

First Lady didn't sweat tests. Why should you? Michelle Obama doesn't put much stock in standardized tests. "Don't let those tests defeat you. Don't let those tests define you," she told a group of about 30 students at Denver's South High School on Monday as part of a day of mentoring in the city.

"When I was growing up, I was never a great standardized test-taker," but she ended up attending Princeton University, Mrs. Obama said. Straight-A grades and a strong essay helped her overcome bad test scores, she added.

The first lady, however, did not hint that she thought standardized tests should go away.

Speaking to a student who had asked whether it's fair to use test scores to measure schools when some students don't speak English well, Mrs. Obama said the tests are "part of the system" and can't be avoided.

"You can fight the tests, or you can work with them and turn them into an advantage," she said.

When asked about the hardest thing to being the first lady, Mrs. Obama gestured toward a bank of news cameras and said it was "making sure my girls don't get lost in all this. I want to make sure they come out of this as whole as possible," she said.

She also added that she and President Barack Obama work to make time for daughters Malia, 11, and Sasha, 8.

"When they have an event, it takes precedence over everything," said Mrs. Obama.

Earlier in the day, Mrs. Obama spoke about the importance of mentoring at a lunch with about 80 girls at the Colorado governor's mansion. Attendees at the luncheon included Kathleen Sebelius, the former governor of Kansas and President Obama's Health & Human Services secretary. Other mentors were Latina astronaut Ellen Ochoa, and actresses Susan Sarandon and Alfre Woodard.

Mrs. Obama did not take questions from the media, and reporters were allowed to sit in on only parts of the luncheon and afternoon mentoring session.

The mentoring initiative was launched in Washington, D.C., earlier this year. Aides to the first lady said she would visit other cities, but didn't have details.

 

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- Posted on November 17, 2009
Submitted by robynn1216 on Monday, 02/27/2012 - 19:01.

I think she was absolutely right about how you could fight with the test or work with it. When students take test they are afraid of failing and what not. They shouldn't fear it they should concentrate about the material. She is also right about how you shouldn't let test define you because everything in the world is about math or science. I'm not saying that test aren't important they just do not need to be the thing you need to do perfect on. But perfectness doesn't exist.

Submitted by Kat12Kooler on Thursday, 02/23/2012 - 19:13.

I'm not a big fan of the Obamas. It might change if I actually knew them personally, but I don't and I probably never will since they're famous and I'm just a dumb kid. My reaction to this is, Why do we care whether Michelle cared what kinda grades she got on standardized tests? Sure, she's the presidents' wife, and she's famous and all, but still, they can be pretty hard. If that's all she's gonna say, then what's the point? Furthermore, in order to be able to get into college you need good grades, correct? You can't be a slacker, and you can't brush off the tests as nothing. I know, it's screwy, but that's majorly what college scouts look at, your grades and your checkbook. I have to contradict her. In school, and in the system when you're young, the tests DO define you. We just can't fail to acknowledge that fact, especially when we're trying to make sure the American kids grow up to be real smart and beat the Chinese and all those other foreign countries. Nobody better be calling me racist either, because of this, because I'm not being racist. I'm simply making a valid argument against this totally mental viewpoint that Michelle Obama is trying to force onto us.

Submitted by Sydneymar on Sunday, 02/19/2012 - 18:22.

I think that is good that we get the first lady's opinion on tests. It makes sense why she doesn't sweat about them. She didn't do extremely well on tests, but she still got into a good college. She said that having straight A's and a good essay helped. She got into Princeton University. It really reflects on my life because studying for tests takes a while (a few days) because I want to get a good grade. It is good to get Mrs. Obama's opinion because it can make you think a different way about tests. It makes you think that you could just try your best to study and try your best on the test. Remember that it is possible to over study.

Submitted by HIlary4 on Friday, 02/17/2012 - 13:26.

I believe Michelle Obama has her own opinion.People have different opinions on test taking.People may be nervous taking a test and others may not.I believe Michelle Obama is a very smart person.Therefore other people have different perspective on their personality.

Submitted by Ankim on Thursday, 02/16/2012 - 21:56.

For me, I think we should take it seriously ad study for standardized tests. It's proven that studying for tests helps you get a higher grade. Michelle Obama says "When I was growing up, I was never a great standardized test-taker"- does this mean we don't have to try our best on testing anymore?I mean, she's our role model , if parents see her talking like that then she'll get criticized. But whatever she says, I'm still doing my best and hope everyone else does ,too.

Submitted by Tykara35039 on Monday, 02/13/2012 - 11:10.

I personally think that yes we should take standardized test serious. Even though Michelle Obama did not worry too much about this important exams and she got accepted into Princeton, that doesn't mean we are all going to have the same chances. Therefore, we should all try our best to get at least proficient on this tests so we could all have great opportunities in our future. Who knows, we might also be accepted to Princeton or even Harvard. But yes indeed, it all depends on us and our effort towards getting there. I understand that the CSTs may become very frustrating for some students but like Michelle said"its part of the system and we can not avoid them". We just go with the flow and do our best.

Submitted by Mayrac15 on Friday, 04/29/2011 - 10:58.

I personally think that yes we should take standardized test serious. Even though Michelle Obama did not worry too much about this important exams and she got accepted into Princeton, that doesn't mean we are all going to have the same chances. Therefore, we should all try our best to get at least proficient on this tests so we could all have great opportunities in our future. Who knows, we might also be accepted to Princeton or even Harvard. But yes indeed, it all depends on us and our effort towards getting there. I understand that the CSTs may become very frustrating for some students but like Michelle said"its part of the system and we can not avoid them". We just go with the flow and do our best.

Submitted by Allie02 on Wednesday, 01/19/2011 - 10:27.

I think that tests are hard and put a lot of stress on us. Of course they'll help us in life, but those little bubbles to fill in can get really annoying, especially when you get outside the lines.

Submitted by Heather01 on Wednesday, 01/19/2011 - 10:25.

I Don't Agree with the first lady, those tests are hard how can you like not be worried for those tests? Those things are so long personally I don't like them so i get stressed about them.

Submitted by austin101598 on Monday, 10/18/2010 - 15:35.

Well some people have to sometimes because some people have a hard time with stuff like that most defidently I dont agree.Nope dont agree.Its hard.