--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When teachers are forced to teach to the…" description: "\"When teachers are forced to teach to the test, students get bored and genuine education ceases, no matter what the test scores may say… The examination..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/myron-tribus-55454_ability_when-teachers-are-forced-to-teach-to-the_2644983.jpg" --- # When teachers are forced to teach to the test, students… ![“When teachers are forced to teach to the test, students get bored and genuine education ceases, no matter what the test scores may say… The examination as a test of the past is of no value for increased learning ability. Like all external motivators, it can produce a short term effect, but…” quote by Myron Tribus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/myron-tribus-55454_ability_when-teachers-are-forced-to-teach-to-the_2644983.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/myron-tribus-55454_ability_when-teachers-are-forced-to-teach-to-the_2644983.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/myron-tribus-55454_ability_when-teachers-are-forced-to-teach-to-the_2644983.jpg) > “When teachers are forced to teach to the test, students get bored and genuine education ceases, no matter what the test scores may say… The examination as a test of the past is of no value for increased learning ability. Like all external motivators, it can produce a short term effect, but examinations for the purpose of grading the past do not hook a student on learning for life.” [Myron Tribus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myron-tribus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Teaching to tests reduces engagement and undermines deep learning, making education superficial. **In simple terms:** Tests limit true learning. Key Takeaway Prioritize meaningful learning over test prep. Themes education engagement assessment learning motivation Mood frustrated critical reflective Type critical analytical When to use this quote - classroom instruction - curriculum design - teacher training - student motivation Key Concepts intrinsic motivation assessment culture educational philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can schools balance accountability with deep learning? - What alternatives to high‑stakes testing exist? A Different Perspective Tests may provide measurable data but ignore long‑term understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Bored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bored/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Short term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-term/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Test scores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/test-scores/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [In a Glasser Quality School there is no such thing as a closed book test. Students are told to get out their notes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/in-a-glasser-quality-school-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-closed-book/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [“We test students right after they read something mostly to ensure that they have in fact read it. From this, many have drawn the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/we-test-students-right-after-they-read-something-mostly-to-ensure/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [According to research, test scores improved by 17.3% for students regularly engaged in chess classes, compared with only 4.6% for children participating in other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-polgar/according-to-research-test-scores-improved-by-17-3-for-students/) [Susan Polgar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-polgar/) > [I was always told that I was good in mathematics, and I guess my grades and standardized test scores supported that. My worst subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/i-was-always-told-that-i-was-good-in-mathematics-and-i-guess-my/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [G.P.A.’s are worthless as a criteria for hiring, and test scores are worthless. We found that they don’t predict anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laszlo-bock/g-p-a-s-are-worthless-as-a-criteria-for-hiring-and-test-scores-are/) [Laszlo Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laszlo-bock/) > [The SAT is not perfect. We all know smart, knowledgeable people who do badly on standardized tests. But neither is it useless. SAT scores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/the-sat-is-not-perfect-we-all-know-smart-knowledgeable-people-who-do/) [Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/) > [The world is a bell curve. Classroom test scores, employee performance in a company or how many people really, really like you. No matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/the-world-is-a-bell-curve-classroom-test-scores-employee-performance/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [The widespread belief among politicians and pundits is that high test scores are everything. I strongly disagree. What matters most is character. Working hard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-urban/the-widespread-belief-among-politicians-and-pundits-is-that-high-test/) [Hal Urban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-urban/) > [You have to remember, we may be the only nation, the only one I know of, that uses test scores not to assess kids,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-merrow/you-have-to-remember-we-may-be-the-only-nation-the-only-one-i-know-of/) John Merrow > [ I think \[testing\] has had a profoundly problematic impact on student learning. It must seem to students that their worth as individuals is equivalent… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-ann-tomlinson/i-think-testing-has-had-a-profoundly-problematic-impact-on-student/) [Carol Ann Tomlinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-ann-tomlinson/) > [With my academic achievement in high school, I was accepted rather readily at Princeton and equally as fast at Yale, but my test scores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/with-my-academic-achievement-in-high-school-i-was-accepted-rather/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [If there's one thing that 'No Child Left Behind' has proven, it's that more academics don't make for smarter children - or even higher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darell-hammond/if-there-s-one-thing-that-no-child-left-behind-has-proven-it-s-that/) [Darell Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darell-hammond/) > [ The origins of these \[schooling\] federal policies were tied to President Johnson's war on poverty. Supplemental funds were sent to school districts serving poor… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-noguera/the-origins-of-these-schooling-federal-policies-were-tied-to/) [Pedro Noguera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-noguera/) > [Increased physical activity during the school day can help children's attention, classroom behavior, and achievement test scores. Meanwhile, the decline of play is closely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darell-hammond/increased-physical-activity-during-the-school-day-can-help-children-s/) [Darell Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darell-hammond/) > [The focus on just thinking about standardized test scores as being synonymous with achievement for teenagers is ridiculous, right? There are so many things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/the-focus-on-just-thinking-about-standardized-test-scores-as-being/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) ## More by Myron Tribus > [If you try to improve the performance of a system of people, machines, and procedures by setting numerical goals for the improvement of individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myron-tribus/if-you-try-to-improve-the-performance-of-a-system-of-people-machines/) [Myron Tribus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myron-tribus/) > [David Langford, illustrates the difference between teaching and learning in a little story. He says, 'You know, last Wednesday I taught my dog to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myron-tribus/david-langford-illustrates-the-difference-between-teaching-and/) [Myron Tribus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myron-tribus/) > [You can manage what you do not understand; but you cannot lead it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myron-tribus/you-can-manage-what-you-do-not-understand-but-you-cannot-lead-it/) [Myron Tribus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myron-tribus/) > [The central activity of engineering, as distinguished from science, is the design of new devices, processes and systems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myron-tribus/the-central-activity-of-engineering-as-distinguished-from-science-is/) [Myron Tribus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myron-tribus/) > [Quality in education is what makes learning a pleasure and a joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myron-tribus/quality-in-education-is-what-makes-learning-a-pleasure-and-a-joy/) [Myron Tribus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myron-tribus/) [Explore all 6 Myron Tribus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myron-tribus/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. 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