Is this normal for a teacher to do? I shouldn't tell right?

Question

I am a first year second grade teacher and I often get tips and tricks from the seasoned teachers.

One of them told me that she looks at the chapter test questions. Then she teaches the kids ONLY the information that is going to be on the test. She said that it overwhelms them if you try to teach EVERYTHING in the chapter.

I mentioned this to my mentor and she said the teacher is wrong and I need to report her to the principal. What do you think?

Answer 1

I find your dilemma to be very interesting. I am guessing you do not teach in Texas. This is because we in TX with the TAKS test looming over us have started doing just as you describe. We are coached by our administrators and our instructional specialists to analyze past release tests in an effort to predict the type and content of questions that may be asked on the upcoming test. We of course are not allowed to see the test ahead of time, so we cannot teach the actual questions, but we have a list of required content objectives and by golly we had better be sure we cover them and cover them well. I have been teaching for 30 years and hate that it has come to this. However, I also am a realist and know that if my students do not succeed, my job is in jeopardy.

Answer 2

I wouldn't report her to the principal because you don't want to look like a tattle tale. Remember, the teachers in a school are the principal's students.

However, I agree that the teacher is teaching in the wrong way. Most students will not remember the information for a test if you teach them isolated questions that doesn't have any meaning in their lives.
You should teach the students in a holistic manner. For example, I am teaching my fifth grade students about westward expansion. Instead of teaching them about the pioneers that traveled westward I am teaching them by having them "travel" westward. They are keeping their own Oregon Trail journals. Each day I give them a prompt that they respond to in their journal and they write about the adventures that they are "experiencing." It is kind of like playing the old Oregon Trail game. The only difference is that I took the state standards and created my prompts to meet the needs of my students. Their test scores have been Excellent during this unit because they feel like they are a part of the learning experience.

Answer 3

With national, state, county, and school system limitations and testing on children it is hard for a teacher to teach the students EVERYTHING they need to know. However, this teacher is being lazy (in my opinion) by not teaching the students extra information that could really benefit them later on during future education and/or careers. Teaching students just enough to get them by isn't going to influence them with good study habits for latter education. I wouldn't report the teacher unless you feel like getting into the middle of a big drama situation. I would simply teach my own way. Teach the necessities but through in plenty of helpful extras.

Answer 4

Obviously not in second grade, but it used to be that a teacher taught a certain body of information, and the test was a sampling of information to find out what the student knew.

If it was in the book, or the teacher said it, it could be on the test, so my friends and I took copious notes and drilled one another on the material from each page of the text. We had to cover all our bases, so to speak, because we did not know what was going to be on the test.

Now, you teach information, and the test becomes a reiteration of that exact information, because if everything isn't reviewed in class, if a study guide isn't given, and in some instances, if the EXACT QUESTIONS are not given in advance, then the students will not study.

Sad, but true.

Answer 5

This is a strange subject.

She is not supplying answers, simply picking and choosing the curriculum to support a test.

your question seems to suggest that the entire chapter is important.

I think that relying on textbook companies to supply your curriculum is problematic anyways.

What you should be thinking about is not chapters, or standardized tests or textbooks or reporting teachers. You need to decide exactly where your kids are, and what they have mastered. What are the skills and knowledge that is essential to students of your teaching group?

To me it sounds like the teacher was being sloppy. Good administrators know what they have in their schools, and if she is a problem, they already know. It is not your position to do administrative work. focus on your own kids, and know that sometimes you will meet teachers who need inspiration themselves.

Answer 6

I think you should go the the principal and act like you are "asking" about it...just as you did to your mentor. This way you do not look like a rat, but you are also doing the right thing. Sometimes it pays to play stupid.

Of course this is wrong. The whole purpose of education is not to do well on a test, but to gain knowledge.

Answer 7

I think it's good that you are asking other teachers for their tips, tricks and opinions. You have the ability now to cull what you think is good and recombine the good into your own program. Why try to reinvent the wheel. Take the good stuff and run with it.

The other teacher is being lazy. Is it reportable? Do you really want to get in the middle of something like that? He/She's not doing anything illegal or immoral. Just being lazy.

Answer 8

Ask your sister..." in case you adore him plenty, why do you opt for to get him fired and put in prison?" while she says "What do you mean?" , tell her that's what could desire to ensue if she starts the mailing ingredient! instructors somewhat ought to toe the line, and acing on a weigh down like that could desire to reason intense problems for him! tell her this, and that the perfect thank you to handle this form of weigh down is to go away him on my own!

Answer 9

do not report her...she can't get "in trouble" anyway....just be the teacher YOU want to be and don't go to her for anymore advice!

Answer 10

she is wrong kids might still have to use that info. unteached in later life