A school where they don’t just teach to the test

[Anonymous]

I would like recommendations for schools where they teach for the present and the future. Do they exist? My kids used to garganta their science books and READ them in depth. Now, they tell me they teachers expect them to memorize everything on the study guides written by the teachers. These are basic materials.

[Anonymous]

Oh dear. It is IMPOSSIBLE to "teach to the test." The scope of curricula is too large. If this is your worry then you should homeschool.

[Anonymous]

Look to private schools

[Anonymous]

Almost any private in the area.

[Anonymous]

That sounds terrible. Two teacher household here, both elementary. Memorization hasn't been a "thing" for many, many years. Neither of us even have any study guides.

[Anonymous]

When schools are judged by standardized tests, there will always be teachers to teach "to the test."

The irony is that kids perform better when the teachers just teach.

[Anonymous]

Is that an intentional reference to Gargantua or a weird typo?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would like recommendations for schools where they teach for the present and the future. Do they exist? My kids used to garganta their science books and READ them in depth. Now, they tell me they teachers expect them to memorize everything on the study guides written by the teachers. These are basic materials.

Ask the teachers if they actually do expect the memorization your kids think is expected. Students tend to hear things that aren't being said quite the way the teacher actually means, or kids miss the larger context. I am not saying your kids are fibbing or are unable to understand; I'm saying that kids, even high schoolers, can sometimes focus on one thing they hear and not realize what else is expected.

It's possible that yes, they're using a study guide, but also will have labs, writing assignments, projects etc. Did your kids mention any of that?

Is it near the start of a new school year? Have you had a back to school night yet? I'd ask the teacher(s) directly: "I saw the study guide my kid brought home and want to ask: Please give examples of how that guide will be fleshed out with assignments that have them work on critical thinking skills." See what the teacher says. Don't be afraid to say: Teaching "to the test" is a concern for me; tell me how you go beyond "the test." If BTSN isn't a good forum to discuss that, ask to see the teacher.

I'd find out more details before leaping to pull the kids out and running to private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That sounds terrible. Two teacher household here, both elementary. Memorization hasn't been a "thing" for many, many years. Neither of us even have any study guides.

Memorization hasn't been a 'thing'? What subjects are you teaching?
My child had to memorize multiplication facts - and for good reason, 'thing' or no 'thing'. Now they're studying American history in Social Studies and are expected to know the dates of the Seven-year war along with names of various acts and public figures involved. Are you saying they don't need to memorize that information?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That sounds terrible. Two teacher household here, both elementary. Memorization hasn't been a "thing" for many, many years. Neither of us even have any study guides.

Memorization hasn't been a 'thing'? What subjects are you teaching?
My child had to memorize multiplication facts - and for good reason, 'thing' or no 'thing'. Now they're studying American history in Social Studies and are expected to know the dates of the Seven-year war along with names of various acts and public figures involved. Are you saying they don't need to memorize that information?

Memorization SHOULD be a thing, just not the only thing. Teachers and districts who think they can teach “critical thinking” to people who know no facts/lack background knowledge are deluding themselves. Critical thinking is trying to see underlying patterns, understand causality, etc of related events, facts, etc.

A test study guide shouldn’t be the only material, but without textbooks to define a unit, they are important tools for many kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That sounds terrible. Two teacher household here, both elementary. Memorization hasn't been a "thing" for many, many years. Neither of us even have any study guides.

Memorization hasn't been a 'thing'? What subjects are you teaching?
My child had to memorize multiplication facts - and for good reason, 'thing' or no 'thing'. Now they're studying American history in Social Studies and are expected to know the dates of the Seven-year war along with names of various acts and public figures involved. Are you saying they don't need to memorize that information?

I’m saying memorization for the sake of simply memorizing is not what we do. They need to know the information (multiplication facts for example) and the concept behind the facts. Know the dates, but understand why they are important, cause and effect relationships, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That sounds terrible. Two teacher household here, both elementary. Memorization hasn't been a "thing" for many, many years. Neither of us even have any study guides.

Memorization hasn't been a 'thing'? What subjects are you teaching?
My child had to memorize multiplication facts - and for good reason, 'thing' or no 'thing'. Now they're studying American history in Social Studies and are expected to know the dates of the Seven-year war along with names of various acts and public figures involved. Are you saying they don't need to memorize that information?

Memorization SHOULD be a thing, just not the only thing. Teachers and districts who think they can teach “critical thinking” to people who know no facts/lack background knowledge are deluding themselves. Critical thinking is trying to see underlying patterns, understand causality, etc of related events, facts, etc.

A test study guide shouldn’t be the only material, but without textbooks to define a unit, they are important tools for many kids.

I think a study guide is only helpful if they will be completing something like a unit test.

[Anonymous]

Are you saying you don't want your child to be tested on the material they are supposed to be learning? Taking tests and knowing the material is not inconsistent with analysis and critical thinking; it is the very basis that enables one to do analysis and think critically about the information and processes learned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you saying you don't want your child to be tested on the material they are supposed to be learning? Taking tests and knowing the material is not inconsistent with analysis and critical thinking; it is the very basis that enables one to do analysis and think critically about the information and processes learned.

What is your definition of a “test”? What you are thinking of and what I am considering may be two different things. Assessments can be performance tasks or quick checks for example and aren’t necessarily traditional unit tests.

[Anonymous]

Private schools. This is one of the major benefits of going private.