And, btw, teachers best be teaching to the test - what else are they going to do? If I know my students will be tested, among other things, on figurative language, why would I not teach similes and metaphors just because they are on the test? That doesn't even make sense.
Besides, teachers cannot teach to the final test as we are only given the guidelines of what to cover - not the test itself.
One more thing before I sign off for the night.When your doctor, your airline pilot, your H/VAC repairman, your mechanic took their various board certifications -- dont you hope they were taught to the test? I would hate to think the airline pilot in whose plane I am in was taught about brain surgery rather than how to fly. I want my H/VAC guy taught how to repair my system, not how to knit doilies just because his teacher had a passion in that area.
Thanks for your two cents. The idea that teaching to the test is bad has always seemed weird to me, nice to hear that some who teach in the public schools think the same thing.
It’s like in college when students would ask “is this going to be on the exam?”. If they really understood the course material as a whole and not as discrete parts, that question would be irrelevant in most subjects.
What I'm describing is what is happening in the inner city public school system in which my wife teaches. And she doesn't teach in a school that's been taken over for failing (yet).
And, btw, teachers best be teaching to the test - what else are they going to do? If I know my students will be tested, among other things, on figurative language, why would I not teach similes and metaphors just because they are on the test? That doesn't even make sense.
That's not what I'm saying. Of course teachers must teach a subject, and they have objectives. What I'm describing is the regimentation taking place, directed from outside the school, that inhibits teaching and learning. Teachers in her school aren't even given time to remediate, even when the regimented testing shows it's necessary.
One more thing before I sign off for the night.When your doctor, your airline pilot, your H/VAC repairman, your mechanic took their various board certifications -- dont you hope they were taught to the test? I would hate to think the airline pilot in whose plane I am in was taught about brain surgery rather than how to fly. I want my H/VAC guy taught how to repair my system, not how to knit doilies just because his teacher had a passion in that area.
I would hope that my doctor or pilot was skilled in his profession. I would not be impressed if he had simply passed a test where the passing score was determined based on how others taking the test scored on it.
All VA SOL tests really measure is how well students in a school or district did in relation to other districts in the state. If our public schools are doing such a great job "leaving no child behind" under NCLB then why are the inner city graduation rates in the 60's and 70's if that high? How do you measure success? Would you call this success?
Of course, I have again failed to keep in mind the good guys like Softball Mom in Viginia who struggle within the government school system to produce quality results against all odds.