THE BIG TEST

I'm a pretty good test taker, so yesterday's Content Area test was not something I was freaked out about. But I was giving it the serious consideration it deserved!

I took the Generalist 4-8 test, which means I have to know everything a teacher would teach any kid from 4th through 8th grades. At first, I was thinking, sure---I'm a grown-up woman---I'm smarter than an 8th grader. But as the test approached, I worried about it. There is actually SO much to know! Especially in Math---it has been about 19 years since I took a Math class.

So I got to the testing site at 7:30 a.m. like they told us test takers to, and the doors opened to the building at 7:45. This is a hot Texas morning, mind you, and I dared to wear jeans because I knew it would be cold in the testing room. (So cold, in fact, that after the 3 hour mark, my nail beds were purple---and I am usually a hot natured woman!) So I got to sweat for about 20 minutes outside. Lovely start to the day when I'm probably already sweating from a bit of nervousness! ;-)

I got all my important numbers bubbled in on the answer sheet and the test booklet, and the test began about 8:30. I thought surely I'd get done with it before noon, and I almost did. 130 questions, and none of them simple. I had 4 sections---4 content areas to cover. First Science. I don't remember as much as I should! If I had taken this test right after I graduated form college, I'd be so much better off. Next, Language Arts, which should be the easiest, since my degree is English. It wasn't too bad. Math was next, and I'm sure I spent the most time here. I had to guess on some questions. Lastly was Social Studies, which was the easiest section, I felt, but by this time, my brain was fried and I was getting tired of reading and bubbling in. So who knows if I answered those questions right.

Now the waiting---three to five weeks. I hope I did well!! I can just say that I did as well as I could have yesterday, thinking through stuff and making logical choices as well as I could. I'll have to wait and see!