Thursday, May 7, 2009

Test-y Day

In order to apply for the certification program you have to meet the minimal requirements on certain tests (ACT, SAT, Accuplacer, etc). Instead of taking a composite score they look at the individual score for each subject.

My results were the same on each test; I'd do above average on one section (math) and fail the other (reading). There was no going around it - I was going to have to retake one of these tests before I could even apply for the program. Frustrating.

Do you remember taking the ACT and SAT in high school? Do you remember what a daunting process that was?

NO THANK YOU!

I wasn't about to put myself through that again. Someone else can use their time to fill in all those millions of bubbles. Not me.

Mom remembered that Panola offered the Accuplacer exam. You could schedule a time, pay your money, take the test, get the results immediately, and even retake it as many times as you want. Seemed like the way to go.

When I got there the lady mentioned that there were only 12 questions for the math section and 20 for the reading. Heck yes! I'll be out in no time.

Except not.

I thought I was going to go insane. At one point I realized I was twisting my chair back in forth - maybe in an attempt to keep myself alert and alive. No one stopped me so I'm guessing it didn't bother them.

Not to mention, the lady who was giving the test was TALKING during it. I seriously had to plug my ears and might have even rolled my eyes.... I just needed to concentrate and she so wasn't makin' that possible.

When I was finished taking the test my results printed immediately. The lady acted completely shocked and started giving me compliments about how high my scores were. She made me feel awesome, but then I saw the scores for myself.

Math - 111
Reading - 80
Writing - 7

They seem alright at first glance.... but do you see the HUGE difference in my math and reading?

Once again the reading isn't high enough. Frustrated to the max, folks. Makes me want to cry - yes, i'm that much of a baby.

You have to make a minimim of a 75 on math (check) and an 85 on the reading (zero check). I'm so left brained. Give me details and I can make up some steps to figure out the answer for you. Even if I can't remember the exact equation I can figure out a way to get the correct answer. I'm good at problem solving. Not so good at reading... obviously. I'm one of those people who has to read a paragraph about 10 times before I understand what the person is saying. And that's after starting over the first sentence 5 times because I realized I already forgot what we were talking about. Even though it may not seem like it, I do well on the grammar sections of test, just not quite enough on the reading passages.

Those stories today were whacko. Whoever makes those tests could do the students a favor by atleast giving them something interesting to read. Do they want them to fall asleep?

So I don't know what to think from here. I can't apply for the program until I pass the reading section. Is this a shut door? How long do you keep paying and trying to pass a test before you realize it's not God's will for you? Why am i even paying all this money for something that i'm not sure I'm going to love?

I'll be okay in a few days. I'm just a little upset at the moment. No one likes to fail something - especially by 5 points.

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On a happier note since I couldn't work today I got to pick up the kids from school. Not all of them; Katie, Cam, and his friend. I always try to talk to them on the way home, ask them how their day was, etc... today they were very talkative amongst themselves. (Which i'm pretty sure was probably a good thing since I'd just received my test results. Not so much a sweet person at that point.)

This was part of the conversation that I overheard -

Katie: I'm free yers ole.
Eli: Your sisters in Preschool so she doesn't have to wear uniforms. Her teacher doesn't make her wear them, she gets free dress.
Katie: No, I wore a dress yesterday.

Katie: You got a pink shirt on.
Me: Yes, i do.
Katie: I like pink. Why you not wear pink flip flops with your pink shirt?
Excuse me for breaking an obvious rule.

While we were eating snacks Katie decided she wanted some of mine too.
Katie: hey, we can share... (sticks her hand in my chex mix and chooses my favorite part)
Me: You're eating those? They're my favorite. (pick your battle, Megan, pick your battle)

Cam: What is lead?
Eli: You know like pencil lead that you write with, except not... the kind you put in guns.

Have a good day tomorrow!!!!

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