schools falling further and further behind other countries? No, we
aren't better teachers. Maybe we're better at putting on a show. All of
the money being spent and so little improvement.

On 1/15/09, Vicky wrote:
> Thank you Jo for your input. I believe teaching strategies lead to
> higher comprehension which leads to better test scores. What throws a
> lot of kids off is the format of the test. I've researched years of
> data to know what is needed to improve writing skills. I totally
> agree with everything you stated. Due to the format of the test,
> teachers must have timed test practices, use a writing format that
> matches what is expected on state exams, and practice open response.
> Also, students must learn that high level comprehension questions are
> not "right there" on the page. We've had to modify our teaching to
> fit the format of the test.Do you think overall we are better
> teachers because of NCLB? I've received a lot more staff development.
> Our school district added more specialized services by adding
> Literacy and Math Coaches. Vicky
>
>
>
> On 1/04/09, Jo wrote:
>
>
>> I'm not sure that is teaching to the test, testing.
>>
>> Think about it. Apparently, the students reading strategies were
>> weak and their writing was weak. Learning new methods and
>> strategies can help them become better writers by using different
>> techniques or learning reading strategies to comprehend the text
>> better are all methods to help the students improve skills.
>>
>> Here is an example of teaching to the test. The MS writing test
>> expect so see specific types of writing used in the student's
>> writing to the prompt. So, the teacher works with each student to
>> find a word such as however, therefore, of course and teaches the
>> student how to use this word in almost any essay. The teacher
>> then finds a list of things the student can put in a series
>> separated by commas. The teacher then teaches the student how to
>> use a compound sentence that can appear in almost any writing or
>> how to join any two sentences with and. Knowing the state writing
>> assessors need to see these specific things, the teacher has the
>> student write multiple essays using these specific examples. The
>> rest of the essay is very simplistic, but the high-powered verb
>> that was learned is there, the list is there, the introductory
>> word followed by a comma is there. The three adjectives they know
>> are there and so is the one adverb. This is how a group of
>> students passed the state writing test (barely).
>>
>> Reading, teach process of elimination of answers and how to look
>> back to find information by matching common phrases. The majority
>> of the time using these strategies, a student can pass a reading
>> state test in my state.
>>
>> I would rather teach a student to read the text and understand it
>> rather than how to go back to find the right answer. Most of
>> life's reading does not come with a multiple choice test following
>> the text.
>>
>> On 12/30/08, testing wrote:
>>> On 12/29/08, Duh! You teach to the test! Simple wrote:
>>> Schools spend a lot of time studying data year after year
>>> knowing exactly the frameworks that fall below state level.
>>>
>>> Teachers are sent to professional development to learn specific
>>> writing techniques or reading strategies that will improve test
>>> scores. If that is not teaching to the test , what is????/
>>>> On 12/29/08, Vicky wrote:
>>>>> I have a question. How has testing made teaching better or
>>>>> worse? What are resources you feel you would keep even if
>>>>> students were not tested?

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