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With the strain on current teachers to meet standards and prepare students for standardized tests, it is difficult not to focus on just those skills covered by the test. However, this is not beneficial for students and can lead to a deficiency in other important skills or concepts.
There are a number of strategies the general education teacher can use to avoid simply teaching to the test. Teachers can use skills addressed on the standardized test in conjunction with state standards to form a base for curriculum rather than the focus. Additionally, teachers can take the basic skills needed and develop these skills in addition to other skills that prevent students from receiving watered down content specific to an annual standardized test.
Test taking skills are strategies and skills all students need to be successful on standardized test, however they can take considerable amounts of class time to develop. Therefore a better approach is to incorporate test taking skills on a daily basis by incorporating them into daily lesson activities.
Moreover, teachers should develop course plans by building a rough outline from skills addresses on the proficiency exam. From this point fill out the rest of the outline with other skills that relate to or that extend each skill already listed. This allows the educator to ensure that all necessary skills are addressed and that content is not lost by focusing on material needed for the standardized test.
How each teacher chooses to prepare his or her students for standardized tests is determined by individual teaching styles, perception, experience, and dedication. However it is important that teachers be given the tools and skills like accredited online colleges programs necessary to address student preparation for proficiency exams without sacrificing standards, goals, content and expectations for students. Finally teacher preparations will help prepare educators to provide students with the necessary skills without teaching to the test.
