2/25 - Week 6: What are the conditions when it is acceptable to "teach to the test"?

I suspect this phrase is often misused and may apply only to drills that are not practiced by most teachers. I had the opportunity 3 years ago to work on the physical science questions for the newly revised 2006 CAPT - or the Connecticut Aptitude Performance Test (equivalent to NJ's HSPA, but the science segment). We spend two weeks in the summer reviewing materials to insure that the questions truly reflected content taught. Having been one of educators who have written the questions for the state tests I would tell you that our objective was the same as the classroom teacher's: to help kids learn. Most teachers treat the state test as nothing more than another useful guide and motivator, with no significant change in the way they present their lessons. In some classes, such as the Advanced Placement courses that are available in most high schools, the need to prepare for a challenging exam outside of the teacher's control has often produced a remarkable new form of teamwork. Teacher and students work together to beat an exam that requires thought and analysis, not just memorization.