08-12-2016, 11:21 AM
(08-12-2016, 10:47 AM)Beaker Wrote: Problem solving skills, and critical thinking to be able to figure out correct answers are much more important than memorization or definition reciting needed to pass standardized testing. His statement about not teaching to the test is a valid point. Part of the problem with federally mandated standards is the unusually large amount of weight those standards give to the standardized test results as a way to evaluate school/teacher effectiveness. This causes many districts to alter their curriculum and teaching methods with the main focus being that the students do well on those standardized tests. Those tests not only require little critical thinking, they also cover a very narrow range of the subject matter. In short, the standardized tests are a very poor indicator of student performance for many reasons other than the few I just stated. A good teacher teaches way beyond the test, and teaches skills that will serve the student well as they move up in grade level and into life. So yes, it is better for the students to learn skills beyond parroting the correct answers on a standardized test.
For whatever reason what teachers were doing was failing. There have to be some way to judge their progress. I just don't know a better way.
Perhaps instead of just complaining about tesst teachers should propose some other type of test that meausres "critical thinking".
There have to be some standards that should be met. Otherwise we have a bunch of teachers producing students that know nothing. Teachers are no different from any otherr people. they don't want to admit when they are wrong or not doing their jobs. We can't just let them say "Yeah, your kid can fails at math, history, and reading comprehension, but I did a great job teaching him 'critical thinking'."
