Over at Today’s Little Ditty this month, Michelle Heidenrich Barnes interviewed Liz Steinglass about her debuting picture book: Soccerverse: Poems About Soccer. It was a great interview and ended, as always, with a challenge. Liz invited readers to write Poems of Instruction to inanimate objects. What an intriguing challenge! I’ve been having loads of fun seeing what others have written and finally settled on my response. (I apologize for the appearance, but the only way I could retain my formatting was by taking screen shots and cutting and pasting them.)
Instructions to a Standardized Test
The ever-inspiring Margaret Simon of Reflection on the Teche is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup. She’s sharing some wonderful nature pi-ku poems written by the gifted and talented students she teaches.
Nix the comfort zone 
This is perfect, Molly. I love it!
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Thanks! It took me quite a while to settle on an inanimate object. It’s a great challenge with so many possibilities!
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Outstanding….the things you must say juxtaposed against the things you know about the test. Well done. I really like the line, “Don’t take yourself too seriously.” On the first day of testing I found myself addressing just this idea! Oh, I can’t wait until testing season is over.
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I am heartily sick of all assessments right now.
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I saw this earlier, Molly, on the padlet. It’s wonderful the way you showed the thoughts & the actual words, whew! One granddaughter has been testing all week. She says it’s exhausting, is one of those who wants to do so well & worries when she knows she doesn’t understand. I’ve copied it, will share. Thanks, and hope you as a teacher are done for the year.
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We still have regular assessing going on (end of units, etc.) and it feels more burdensome than usual after the crunch of mandated testing.
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This poem stood out on the padlet to my students who have painstakingly finished their standardized tests. I wish they would disappear from the universe. They are truly a blurry snapshot and now that the teacher’s score counts on them, they are taking over teaching as well. It’s a travesty!
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It’s a stressful thing for both students and teachers. I really question the validity of these tests, especially when they have fourth grade students TYPE their responses to a writing prompt. There is no way that will a valid measure of their writing ability.
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So hard to keep our creativity and spontaneity in a sea of tests that kids and teachers face. Great poem!
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Thanks, Brenda.
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Wow. Opposite ends of the earth and opposite seasons, but it’s been NAPLAN week in Australia – our loathsome standardised test!
I don’t like NAPLAN, but I do love this, Molly. So fun!
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I’m not sure if it’s comforting to know that you’re testing, too, or if it makes it all even more depressing!
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Depressing. For sure. Though comforting to know that others sympathise/relate.
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This is so awesome, Molly! I thought about it this morning as I dropped my daughter off for her state EOC in history. I know she’s going to do fine, but she was freaked out just the same… “but Mom, if I don’t pass I’m not going to be able to graduate!” This coming from a straight A student. Sheesh. Yes, an extended vacation for standardized tests is most definitely in order!
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High stakes testing is really ridiculous. It makes me so sad to think of your daughter, clearly an excellent student over the long haul, worrying about her ability to pass this test.
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Send to the test makers! So good. I hate spring testing.
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It’s frustrating for everyone!
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Well done, Molly! I always hate those final words, “You may begin.” And suddenly there is a great wall between teacher and students. I posted my DMC poem today, too… but mine sidestepped the directions a bit.
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I’ll look forward to checking out your DMC poem. I love seeing all the ways people interpret a challenge!
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“You may be asked if you are sure you want to do this.” Nice, Molly.. I like the way the test’s half is a bit relentless, a bit ominous. It doesn’t matter whether students are sure if they want to, does it? I like the double-meaning for “you may begin.”
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Thanks, Tabatha.
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Molly, to me this is a humorous piece of writing and one that should be seen by all! Here, on Long Island testing is thought of in terms of an opt out. Parents have revolted; kids cry or worse yet, spend all day taking The Test. I had one of our Regents at a regional meeting during the week. He came at the right time when the literacy leaders were giving their thoughts on the unfairness of testing. He and his board of 17 are working with State Ed on ways to address the topic of testing to alleviate the pain your share in your poem that may launch another look into the weighty issue.
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Well, it sounds like there’s some hope in your response, Carol. Fingers crossed that we re-examine the role of this testing and its impact on the classroom, students, and teachers.
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My instructions are “GO AWAY!” If only it were that easy, right? Despite the madness, Molly, this is terrific! — Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/
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This is brilliant. I score you in the 113th percentile Molly. I like how it is mirthful. It would have been easy to skewer the brain-draining standardized tests without leaving any smiles, but you have deftly nailed them, with humor. This should be on every teaceher’s room B.B. & list serv. And it should circulate widely among students. Let’s double that score.
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Thanks, Jan. I enjoyed writing this much more than I enjoyed administering the tests.
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My heart aches for all the students who must take these standardized tests. You have captured the complicated emotions of the poor teacher who must administer them. Thankfully we don’t have as intense a testing regime here in Canada.
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We just encourage students to do their best and not worry about it. It also helps that we hand out “Pep Up Peppermints!”
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