7 Posts About The Same Thing

I've been tagged by Hudd at Adventures In Teaching and she's asked me to write seven random facts about myself. Clearly, she's either an eternal optimist or isn't aware that I am somehow the worst tag-ee ever to blog. I'm flattered, though, I just can't seem to come up with anything to write about except selling school t shirts or State testing. Seriously, too close to the end of the semester. I am bleary eyed and nasty.



Instead, in her honor, I will start a whole new meme! I'll call it...



Seven Posts On The Same Topic



Find old entries on your blog that center around the same topic and give us the links to them. We'll get to know your back catalog and your hits will shoot up (even if it's false inflation and only for a short time).



My topic, appropos of the season, is State Testing!!!

Because my school is on a block schedule, we have testing in both the Fall and the Spring. You'll see entries from both times of year.

My very first English class (after teaching Speech/Drama for 10 years) was in 2004. I gave my very first End Of Instruction exam and learned along with my students. Here's an account of that time. I still often wish I could tell people I "got the finga" for them.

December of 2005 was full of all sorts of testing comedy. I had funny kids, I suppose that contributed to the situation. It was also at the height of our testing incentive efforts (we've since scaled back). The zillion year old monitor I had for the multiple choice test was worth two entries. I also shared some of the keys to my testing success.

That's four, and it only covers two testing season! Knit yourself a hat and hang onto it, there's more!

The next testing season was a hard one. We were forced to jump through new hoops to prove to district administration that we were doing our jobs. We did all kinds of review with these kids. It was at the end of this most madcap of all testing seasons that my dad went into the hospital and passed away two months later. Reading these entries were like reading the last words of the person I used to be.

Someone at Admin read a book again and that year they decided that students should test in their classrooms--except for when they can't. It was awesome. At the end, I was able to reflect on the whole time and hatched a profound thought that I chew on to this day.

My trip down memory lane of testing ends with last December. For the record, I still laugh at these teachers who just got State Exams. Their fresh panic makes me look so very Zen.

So now, it's time to tag. Since I am starting the meme, I am for once going to tag some folks.

Let's start with Hudd, since she helped me to this idea in the first place.
and we'll add to the list
Ms Cornelius
Mister Teacher
Jim
The Crib Chick

As always, consider yourself tagged if this interests you and if any of you try this, drop a comment.