Teach to the Test (T³): Five Key Shifts to Improve Learning

1. Alignment and Distributed/Repetitive Learning
   • Tests should be aligned across multiple levels: final, semester, quarterly, weekly/biweekly.
   • Distributed learning means planning reteaching, practice, and testing key concepts repeatedly over time (within a month and throughout the year).
   • Repetitive learning involves regularly spaced practice immediately when introducing objectives.
2. Frequent Checks for Understanding
   • Conduct checks 3–4 times daily using quizzes or quick assessments.
   • These allow students to demonstrate knowledge independently and let teachers monitor progress continually.
3. Make Learning Visible as Assessment
   • Any student activity that shows what they have learned counts as an assessment.
   • Students should ask for help because they understand what to do and want feedback, not because they are lost.
   • Teachers should review student work frequently (after 3-4 problems/questions) and address issues immediately by:
     A) Using I-We-You recursive teaching cycles to scaffold learning.
     B) Assigning bridging work or peer teaching for minor errors.
     C) Reteaching where problems indicate missing prerequisite skills or conceptual gaps.
4. Regular Summative Assessments
   • Weekly, biweekly, monthly, and end-of-semester assessments track retention and guide future instruction.
5. Continuous Real-Time Feedback
   • Waiting weeks or months to discover student errors is ineffective.
   • T³ encourages teachers to act as "Chief Intelligence Officers" who detect and address learning issues as they happen.
   • Even if students are not making errors, feedback refines and deepens their understanding.

The Big Picture: Why T³ Matters

• According to B.F. Skinner, learning means a change in behavior. If students don’t show knowledge at the end of the year, learning has not occurred.
• T³ reframes testing as any independent student work that makes learning visible—not just formal exams.
• Waiting to discover gaps long after lessons is educational malpractice.
• Curriculum mapping and instruction must be closely linked to ensure key skills and knowledge are retained.
• Teachers must continuously ask:
  • What is your yearly testing plan?
  • What will students be able to do by year’s end?
  • How do you know they have learned it?

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