Bracing for Exams

This week students across the state will be taking the dreaded TAKS. I hate it, the kids hate it, the parents hate it, and I can't think of anybody who even thinks the tests are that valid.

So yesterday I had the "privilege" of taking a state standardized test myself. I had tougher rules to follow than the kids do. NO GUM! CELL PHONES MUST BE OFF AND GIVEN TO THE PROCTOR, WATER BOTTLES CANNOT HAVE LABELS, failure to follow these and other instructions could cause immediate failure.

The test wasn't all that bad, I felt like I was playing the tricky question game! I treated each answer as a true/false. That helped and of course I did not answer the way I thought on some some of the pedagogue questions, but the way "they " want. We were allowed 5 hours to take the test, I was done in 2. The young man who left right after me, said it was his 3rd time to take the test. I'll let ya know how I did, in 6 weeks.

Spring break was not good for me, I was ill with the doc thought was diverticulitis, but I had a colonoscopy and I do NOT have diverticulitis. Of course we still don't know what caused the pain, but I'm still here.

My slacker girl has really become a nice person. The Mouth of the South continues to prattle on, Backpack Boy is still having problems, with everything, and I fear is getting worse. He was removed from my class, because of inappropriate behavior and language in the class preceding mine. As he left the room, he shouted his hopes for our collective eternal reward, which was not positive.

I'm actually looking forward to making the change into a different department. It will be much less stressful, test wise, and I like all the people in the department. Of course nothing is "official" but when asked what I needed for next year, I replied that IF I was to teach social studies, I would need a set of maps, he told me to price them and submit a requisition!

Since we finished with the carpeting, we've started putting up new wallpaper border in two rooms, that has been fun. Taking the old stuff off, has not been fun. Now if I can only find a good border for the other room!

I shall try to update more often. It has been hectic, my bro's company downsized and now he's looking for new employment. My mom hurt herself in a fall and was not using her pain meds correctly. Add to that I was getting phone calls from friends in the old home town about mom. The my bro calls and tells me I have to go out and take care of mom! I did chat with Mom today and she is doing much better, but I was really frustrated to find out that ALL of her savings is gone! She had a very nice nest egg! It went to my bro's kids who have problems of their own and Mom loves to feel helpful, so she forks over the cash. Funny the last time I asked her to join us on a trip she told me no, she wanted to save that money so I would have more to inherit. I remember telling her that money would not buy memories or time.

So that is where I am!