Two days into four days of the Pennsylvania State Writing Assessment for 8th grade and I'm exhausted. I don't even have to take the test. I'm getting tired just watching the kids. This year a third writing prompt was added to the test. Now the test consists of a day of multiple choice "pick the mistake" or "how would you correct" questions. Days 2 - 4 are five paragraph essays. Most of my students were busy for a full two hours planning, drafting, and writing the final version. It was great to see them actually using a graphical organizer and writing a draft, but they have to do it two more times! There weren't too many complaints today, but I'm already hearing the sore hand comments and it's just going to get worse. This is too much. So far, I've taught in two states and both of them are getting a little test crazy for federal dollars. I hope the new administration does a massive overhaul or complete re-tooling of NCLB. Five weeks from this week, we get to do the state tests for reading and math (which always stresses me out) and then within a month the 8th graders also have a science test. Somewhere along the line, I'll find time to teach.
Today was one of the worst runs I've had. I planned to get in 5.5 miles, but after about 1 I decided to just do 4. As it was, it took me over 12 minutes per mile. I was just trudging along with the deadest legs I've felt in a long time. Maybe it was too much pacing around monitoring the kids taking the test this morning. I hope it passes. Less than a month to the Humdinger.
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