> John St. Clair wrote:
> > Teaching to a test that is at an inappropriate level for the students taking
> > the test is absurd and a total waste of time!!
>
> Maybe not. I presume this is a criterion referenced standards based test
> like the ones administered to all third, sixth, and tenth graders in my
> state (NH). Low scores reveal that the district is failing its students (or
> that the district's view of what children need to know and be able to do is
> different from that of the state's). The school board, administration, and
> teachers need to look at their curriculum and how they teach.
I agree.
> I believe that tests of this nature do not tell how well or badly the
> students perform, but how well or badly the system performs. I further
> believe that in a well oiled system, it may seem like teachers aren't
> teaching to the test, but that is because they are doing precisely that
> right from grade K. They are not cramming into three weeks what should take
> eight years to cover.
Precisely my point! The attempt to teach students to take a test that is
6 grade levels above their level is a waste of time. Students need to be
taught at their level right from grade K. I've seen teachers pressured
to "teach to the test" at first grade when over half of the students
couldn't possibly do 90% of the test. The tests do show the teachers how
far the students are from where they should be, but "teaching to the
test" for 3 weeks prior to the test only helps those students who have
the skills to take the test. It's a waste of time for those students far
below the test level.
> The school district in which I live has the dubious distinction of being
> among the ten lowest scoring districts in the state. Teachers complained
> vociferously that the tests were too difficult, unfair, invalid,
> inappropriate, etc. But what happened was that the tests caused everyone to
> look closely at what we were doing, and we are beginning to create a much
> better education system in terms of mission, curriculum, administration, and
> teaching. The test was painful, but it was not a waste of time.
If testing causes teachers, administrators and school boards to look at long
term teaching strategies that meet student needs then I agree that there is
some benefit. Too often this is not the case and only short term solutions
are implemented which ignore the needs of many students.
-John
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