Admiral Rockwell Tory
Diamond Member
How can you be so wrong? Did you attend the Acme School of Teaching, taught by Wile E. Coyote? Maybe that is teaching to the test in your backwater school district of continuous failure, but that is not how we did it where I taught. My students were never required to memorize formulae. Their tests provided a formula sheet for any questions on the test.You are confusing grade level requirements such as mastering comprehension skills, application etc. which is not the same thing as requiring teachers to utilize classroom time to teach to the test! I cannot believe you do not know the difference. Requiring teachers to “teach to the test” means reviewing past state test questions using entire class periods, question by question. Having kids memorize formulas when they couldn’t even fill out a checkbook nor perform basic multiplication and division without a calculator.
Like another poster wisely wrote, requiring special ed students to memorize formulas that will not be used by anyone other than those going to college geared for a math or science degree defeats the purpose of secondary education.
I taught in a Florida high school, DoD Dependents School, middle school in my county, inner city middle school with all boys in a major city, a rural high school, another two rural high schools in other districts, and a middle school in the suburbs of that major city I mentioned before, In case you weren't counting, that's 8 school districts in all. I think I have enough and varied experience to state facts.