Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Everybody, Yeah

I don't give that many tests because, to be honest, I think tests are sort of lame. I did, however, give a test of sorts on the first unit of 7th grade English. We were reviewing literary terms and using them to analyze some short stories.

Whatever.

Anyway, I gave a test to see if anyone had learned anything.

One of the reasons I am annoyed with tests is that I have to give them back. And then when I do that, the kids ask really idiotic questions about how they can get more points on the test. Also, I hate points.

So, one kid felt like he needed some more so-called "points." "Here," he said gesturing to number 3 or something, "I wrote external, but I meant internal. So, could I have another point?"

What?!

"But you wrote the wrong answer," I said.

"But," he persisted, "I miswrote."

"No," I said. "You cannot have another point."

"Also, here," he said, "I wrote Jim, but I meant Ben."

"Again," I said, trying to maintain an appropriate neutral tone, "that's wrong."

"But I MEANT Ben," he said.

OMG.

I'm going to try to never give a test again.

2 comments:

LH said...

This is my issue with tests. I'm in a computer lab for 1 to 2 hours a day this week to give computerized tests to the upper grade kids. I'm about 2/3 of the way through this task and today I suddenly realized that I hate doing this so much that I'm probably going out of my mind.

I bought the kids some twizzlers as a thank you for enduring this dumb test.

Anyway sorry to focus on me. You and I are probably in the same camp where tests are concerned. Sadly, much of my job is about tests right now. I'm not happy about this, but there's not much I can do about it.

Maybe you could tell the complainers that you can't give them more points, but you can give them a twizzler.

Jill said...

I believe that your problem stems more from 7th graders than from tests.

Not that I love tests or anything.