Thursday, October 12, 2017

Out of Order


Seventh grade science. They had a test.

This teacher had assigned a couple students every period to be test helpers. Their job was to pass out tests and then to organize the tests after they had been turned in. And most of them did a pretty good job. (It's early in the school year. They'll get better.)

(I know the drill. I covered this teacher for four? weeks last school year.)

But in 4th period...

Each student got a "test" and an "answer sheet" (a Scantron page to fill in the multiple choice answers). The tests got reused every period. To make sure they all got returned, they were numbered. That makes it easy to see if one is missing.

So, the test helpers were to put these back in numerical order.

While the test helpers were taking their tests, I'd keep things neat. I ordered the tests, mostly because I can't abide disorder when I can do something about it. But when the test helpers were ready, I left them to do their job.

The first thing the 4th period helpers did was to take my nice, neat stack and turn it into five or six piles of chaos. Their method made no sense, but I figured they had a plan.

Turns out, I was wrong.

At the end of 4th period, the helpers handed me the stack of tests. Initially, I thought just a couple tests were out of order. But then I took a closer look.

(4th period was right before lunch. By the time I'd taken a closer look, the kiddos were all gone.)

I don't know what order they were going for. It would be one thing if they just weren't in order at all. That I could somewhat understand. But this?

I took a picture to send to their teacher because I couldn't not share...


The top of the pile was test #2. The bottom was test #20. (Click on the picture to get a closer look.) And in between...

It's like they started to put them in order, but then they didn't finish? Or they had them sort of in order, but then they didn't order the smaller piles? I just don't get it.

As I told their teacher, those helpers either need to be retrained or replaced. Although, I think there's hope for them. Probably.
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26 comments:

  1. PamOctober 12, 2017 at 8:04 AM

    Must be a lot of excitement taking over for a teacher and or getting things done the way they were meant to be done. Students I am sure don't help with some things.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz A.October 12, 2017 at 6:49 PM

      I've run a couple of her tests in the past, so I'm fairly comfortable with the drill. It's nothing terribly out of the ordinary. But the kiddos can be less then helpful sometimes.

      Delete
  2. songbird's crazy worldOctober 12, 2017 at 8:29 AM

    Iteresting way of organizing, to be sure.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Alex J. CavanaughOctober 12, 2017 at 9:34 AM

    Maybe they just can't count?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sherry EllisOctober 12, 2017 at 9:34 AM

    Sounds like putting things in order is too complicated a task for these students.

    ReplyDelete
  5. PaulaOctober 12, 2017 at 10:48 AM

    It looks to me like they didn't even try! But that is an interesting way to make sure you get all the tests back!!

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    Replies
    1. Liz A.October 12, 2017 at 6:51 PM

      There is enough order there that I assume they made somewhat of an attempt. As for the numbering, that's a fairly common technique. Many teachers use it.

      Delete
  6. J E OneilOctober 12, 2017 at 12:35 PM

    That's hilarious. Maybe they were too hungry to think straight :P

    ReplyDelete
  7. bookwormOctober 12, 2017 at 3:16 PM

    Not sure what to think! Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. LilyElementOctober 12, 2017 at 3:34 PM

    Oh my hahaha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz A.October 12, 2017 at 6:52 PM

      If it gave you the laugh it gave me, my post for today was successful.

      Delete
  9. David Powers KingOctober 12, 2017 at 4:55 PM

    I think HAL would contribute this to human error. Good catching up with you again! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. bettyOctober 12, 2017 at 9:35 PM

    It was because it was time for lunch and they had more important things to do (or perhaps their blood sugars were low and they weren't thinking).


    BETTY

    ReplyDelete
  11. Tamara NarayanOctober 13, 2017 at 6:52 AM

    Back to remedial math class for these hooligans, I say!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Darla M SandsOctober 13, 2017 at 8:26 AM

    I don't know what to think. Wow. Just wow. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz A.October 13, 2017 at 3:41 PM

      I didn't know what to think either. Neither did their teacher.

      Delete
  13. BirgitOctober 13, 2017 at 12:49 PM

    They didn't care and it was just before lunch so they couldn't wait to get out of there. what a chaos!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz A.October 13, 2017 at 3:43 PM

      I can't say they didn't care. They spent time at it. I got a neat stack back. There was work involved. Unfortunately, the work was subpar...

      Delete
  14. CynthiaOctober 14, 2017 at 12:27 AM

    I'm guessing the kids were distracted thinking about what they were going to have for lunch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz A.October 14, 2017 at 7:20 PM

      I doubt that, but your opinion seems to be the consensus, so I have to admit I might be wrong.

      Delete
  15. Pinky PoinkerOctober 14, 2017 at 2:42 PM

    Oh dear. I hope their teacher was empathetic to you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz A.October 14, 2017 at 7:21 PM

      Her response to my email to her was perfect. Two emojis that conveyed her reaction.

      Delete

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*Exception: I do not respond to "what if?" comments, but I do read them all. Those questions are open to your interpretation, and I don't wish to limit your imagination by what I thought the question was supposed to be.

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