Poll: Teachers say DON'T teach to the test!

An editorial in last Friday's Advocate quoted State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek as saying, “Teaching to the test is a good thing, because what students need to learn is on the test.”

That comment raises some eyebrows at the LFT office - we felt that most teachers believe teaching to the test is not the best way to impart knowledge, develop critical thinking skills and imbue in students a lifelong ambition to learn.

So we posted a one-question survey that simply asked, "Do you believe that "teaching to the test" is an appropriate way to improve student performance in Louisiana?"

Very quickly, some 633 teachers responded. Five hundred twenty-one, or 82%, said "no"; 112, or 18%, said "yes."

That response was so encouraging that LFT decided to establish an ongoing, non-scientific survey of teacher and school employee opinion during the upcoming legislative session. Each week, we will post a question about issues at the capitol. We're calling it the "Pulse Poll." Be on the lookout for the new Pulse Poll every week of the legislative session!