"This is a test..."

Here I sit watching my fifth grade students valiantly struggling with the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) in reading. Most are hard at it; some are hardly at it. For those of you not from Texas, this is one of the required tests that determine whether a student will pass to the next grade, retake the test (you get three tries), or repeat the level. It's not an easy test and in today's culture of the 5 minute attention span, it's tough to sit through an all-day test.

Last Satruday I took the 5 hour TExES test. It's my state exit level certification test for my education administration Masters Degree. Of course having superior intellect (and lots of caffeine) I finished in 2 1/2 hours. Like my students I have to wait for the results of my labors. They like the fact that I'm having to take these "high stakes" tests just like they are. I have another in a couple of weeks- the dreaded "Comprehensive Final". (Ominous music is now playing in my head.) It's a 6 hour marathon exam wherein they (the professors) can ask about anything you've studied in the last 3 years of graduate school, including current court cases and legislative issues. It's tough, but highly appropriate for what we're doing. I'm gettin' too old for this stuff. ;) More this PM.