Testing Fails That Can't Be Avoided

Testing season! It's here, and we all have some kind of testing going on at the end of the year.  Most of the time it is done right, but sometimes we all have those testing fails. Today, I share some of those with you!

Nature and Testing

What does a bird have to do with testing?! One year during our 4th grade Virginia Studies SOL test, a bird flew into a transformer. BOOM! The power went out! When it did, four students had not finished the test. It was a testing irregularity, so those students had to retake the test! Ugh!

Once we were testing, and right outside my window the custodian started weed eating. Oh my! Rocks and weeds were flying everywhere, and every child lost focus!

Those Students!

What about those students who finish a reading or math test (or any big assessment) in 15 minutes!? You know the ones. First, you know they failed, and second, you have to keep them quiet for the other two or three hours left of testing!

Thank you to Teaching in Progress for this fun picture! 

And then there are the ones who take an hour to do one question! They're not really working the problem or reading the passage, but doodling on the screen or paper, playing with their shoes, or worse sleeping!

Thank you to Don't Let the Teacher Stay Up Late for this fun picture!

Boredom, Absolute Boredom

When you can't do anything, the seconds go by even slower!

Thank you to Don't Let the Teacher Stay Up Late for this fun picture!

It's not just standardized testing that brings us all down! We also have other assessments. Virginia schools use the PALS assessment (Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening), which is very computer based.  Here are some issues with that!

I have learned to never start testing on the first day the window opens because the website crashes. Here is why...

Or how about the kid who forgot to brush his teeth and is belting out the words right in your face!

We all know this word.

I had a student spend time sounding it out. He said "sh-?@", I don't think I was supposed to say that." Exactly, that is not the word you were supposed to read.

And how about this spelling of misgivings:

And when the Internet or power in your own building is out right in the middle of testing!

I haven't touched on them all, but testing season is a time of trials and tribulations. But in the words of Jimmy Buffett:

"If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane!"

Have a little fun and survive! We are almost there!