(Rest assured: not a reference to the oh-so deep thoughts of Alanis. A Talent, with a capital T.) The last six months of my life have been centered around a test known as TAKS (formerly TAAS). My school is a part of the BluePrint Plan here in Austin, which basically is trying to take junior high schools and elementary schools and turn their scores around by intense study, higher academic standards, experienced teachers, etc. etc. I wish the goal was to help increase the perspective of kids and make learning experiencial. But it's not. The main goal is to bring up test scores. It just is. As much as I personally disagree with this kind of higher-scores,-oh-it-must-mean-the-kids-are-finally-learning! mentality, I have committed to my job, so it's what I do.
Anyway, the big test we've all been getting ready for all year WAS scheduled for Tuesday, the 25th. If you live here in this fabulous little city you know that we had a detrimental ice storm Monday night and every single school for miles and miles had to be closed Tuesday, and into Wednesday. AISD probably hasn't taken a bad weather day in 5 years or more, and the day we are forced to stay home is the big day. For us teachers at Dobie, it felt like a pleasant reminder that the TAKS test is remarkably far away from the center of the universe.
HA HA HA. So there. We all got a day and a half off work and the kids had so much fun in this bizarre-for-Texas weather that they weren't scared witless on the day of the test. I like happy endings.
