Today, I have to administer I very boring and very "important" state-standardized test to my students. This goes on pretty much all week and it sucks the life out of me while I sit in careful silent checking my email and sucks the soul out of my students who must succumb to rows, dictatorial teacher-authority, and awful silence (all in the midst of spring, otherwise known in the teenager world, as goof-off season).
But, while I do have a certain empathy for my students, I still must wonder at the competency of some of their listening skills. When the directions of a test state "Do not open your test booklet until I have told you to do so," you would think that this would be simple enough, right? You would think that a fifteen-year-old could handle this, yes? But NO! Not so. Many of them just can't help themselves. They must open the booklet. It is like some sort of magnetic force inside them is prompting them "Open the book!"
So. . .I, of course, get to stop. Look at the student. Watch the wheels turning inside their heads. "Why is the teacher staring at me?" Pause. "Why is the teacher staring at me?" More pause. Teacher, "Please DO NOT OPEN YOUR BOOKLET UNTIL I Have instructed you to do so!" Oh. Student is embarrassment. Teacher. .really, is embarrassed enough for everyone. Jeez.
Simple instruction. 50% failure from students. Perhaps I should grade them on whether or not they are able to accomplish listening-skills during my instructions. . but, then I would probably be sending too many to summer school.
Sigh. 20 more school days.
1 comment:
Just keep thinking, 20 more days left. Summer will be here before you know it. At least you don't have to work two jobs in the summer, and it's that much closer to your Wedding!!!!
Post a Comment