Can someone PLEASE tell me why "teaching for the test" is a bad thing?
The only way "teaching for the test" could be bad is if the teacher somehow had prior knowledge of what questions would be on the test, so that they could repetitively drill their students on those specific questions. I'm guessing they don't know the questions beforehand.
Without knowing beforehand what the questions will be, "teaching for the test" would, of necessity, require the instructor to... (wait for it)... teach the subject material thoroughly!
I think that's the whole point. :-)
Tell me, did everything you learn in highschool get included in the SAT? ACT? As a teacher, if your payraise depended on your kids doing well, would you bother teaching them anything other than the material that would be covered on the test? I guess this makes teaching really easy, just follow the leasson plan that the testmakers will map out and you've put yourself into the fast track for teacher of the year.