I was reading about Liz's fifth graders antics with the English language, and I thought perhaps it was time for my blog to feature another "my crazy students" story.

In the time that we have our students we have to administer a standardized test called the "qualitative reading inventory," three times, to test reading growth. If you are blessed enough to have your kids for a year you give it in September, January, and June. If you only have them for a semester, you give it in September, November, and January. I gave mine in the days before Thanksgiving, so that I would have enough time to grade the millionty questions that are involved in taking this test. During the test, the kids must read a text and then answer questions about it. The text for the 4th grade reading level is about Amelia Earhart and one of the questions is "What do you think Amelia Earhart was doing right before her plane crashed?"

The answer the test is looking for: Anything mentioning the Bermuda Triangle or flying over the ocean.

Answers my ninth graders gave, included, but are in no way limited to:

* Trying to fix the plane
* Trying to jump out of the plane
* Calling for help
* Praying
* thinking "oh shit, I'm gonna crash"



Dear Standardized tests,
Do not ask students "what do you think..." questions, because while none of those answers is right, all of those answers are reasonable.

Much Hate, Make yourselves less grading intensive,

Miss Bos