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In the best colin-g tradition, I feel a rant coming on. I've been teaching in Virginia for fifteen years, during which time I've used Virginia Beach's excellent, well-planned, nicely balanced English curriculum. I've also faithfully referenced the appropriate objectives and state SOLs for every move I've made in the classroom, for fifteen years. Way back when, I was allowed to test how well my kiddies and I had reached said objectives by giving two exams, a midterm and a final. No more! Now, I'm *NOT ALLOWED* to give exams. I'm supposed to give SOL tests mandated by the state of Virginia. I'm to do this surrounded by multiple layers of stupid, Byzantine rules. I bring my regularly schduled business--teaching English-to a screeching halt so I can make my kids sit in a classroom for THREE HOURS and take a test that doesn't really test the objectives I am told that I must teach. I can't tell you what's on the test, because if I do, I'll be hauled away in the middle of the night, placed in a gunny sack, and beaten to death with clubs. Or at least, that's what the agreement I was made to sign seemed to imply. I can tell you that the thing is VERY EASY, and EXTREMELY BORING. My exams are much more rigorous, and tell me exactly how much stuff a given kid has understood. This piece of poopy just tells you who's wide awake and/or anal-retentive. I can also tell you some of the stupid rules: *kids have to be escorted to the potty during testing, and may not speak to anyone while visiting the john *I have to issue each kid two sheets of wide-ruled notebook paper,purchased by me, to be used for a rough draft during the writing test. This paper will be shredded after the test. *The kids are supposed to be at least two feet apart during testing, even tough my room isn't large enough to do this.. *I have to read my scripted directions exactly as written, or else. * I have to remove any posters or displays that might give "hints." (Why my monkeys-reading-on-a-couch poster would give anyone a hint about the test is beyond me.It says,"Now I lay me down to rest/A pile of books upon my chest./If I should die before I wake,?That's one less test I'll have to take.") *I'm supposed to give all the little monsters breakfast-provided by the school-but they only get ten minutes to eat it, and they can't go to the restroom to puke without an escort. Somehow, my kids managed to do very well last year. This year, the kids will be fine, but I'll be starkers. No songs or books today; I'm too freakin' depressed. |
 
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I'm sorry, I can't answer that. Just do your best.