Test

Exam day. I stare at the students who pour thoughts out onto paper, racing before the dreaded words “pencils down”. I dread the grading, the long hours when the writing blurs and everybody in the room gets crankier because we are still grading, wading through filled pages like through deep mud. I hate that it makes me think unkind thoughts, that I am forced to dispense judgment instead of knowledge and love. 10/19/2018

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Andrea Dietrich

Date: 11/10/2018 11:02:00 AM

Back here to say thanks for reading my two recent poems. Yes, I imagine the songs I mentioned from the 80s just flew past you. I hope one day you can hear those songs I delliberately chose titles of songs from the top ten from each year of that decade.

Viv Wigley

Date: 10/24/2018 9:35:00 PM

You have to be made of sterner stuff to be a teacher, Agnes, I'm pretty sure I couldn't cope with the paperwork. Fine write! Viv x

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 10/22/2018 6:52:00 PM

Agnes. I have known this feeling so often. I love when classes are small and i do not have to grade lots of essays. Is your school not digital yet? We went digital last year and half the tests are graded for us automatically but of course we can never escape from grading writing!! GREAT poem too.

Agnes Krampe
Date: 10/23/2018 7:03:00 AM

Andrea, automated grading works only for multiple choice. No computer can evaluate a fully worked out problem where partial credit is given and mistakes are penalized according to their severity, and where we can evaluate whether students can apply the correct technique. Just like computers cannot evaluate essays.

Rhona Mcferran

Date: 10/20/2018 6:04:00 PM

Your attitude towards these awful tests is a testament to you being a wonderful kind of teacher! Well penned piece! ;)

Agnes Krampe
Date: 10/23/2018 7:05:00 AM

Thank you, Rhona

Line Gauthier

Date: 10/19/2018 11:21:00 PM

You are a wonderful teacher, role model, person and poet, Agnes.

Agnes Krampe
Date: 10/23/2018 7:04:00 AM

Thank you, Line.

Jan Allison

Date: 10/19/2018 4:34:00 PM

Very descriptive write Agnes - the students forget they have one paper to sit and you have all of them to mark... it cannot be easy for you especially when they have not done as well as you'd hope and you have to give the bad news. I work as an exam invigilator and make sure the rules are being followed and am grateful I'm not one of the ones sitting at the desk taking the exam! :-( hugs Jan xx

Agnes Krampe
Date: 10/19/2018 6:02:00 PM

Thank you, Jan. I have 500 students in my course. We grade the exams with a team of instructors and graduate students; the test ends at 6pm, and then we get together and get everything graded the same night; nobody is allowed to go home until all tests are finished. It is absolutely grueling, and I have to do it three times per semester.