Lunch at My Desk

This is my lunch.  I was supposed to eat at school with my son who is taking his first EOG test today.  When I got there, three and a half hours after testing started he wasn't finished.  He does get to eat his lunch but he doesn't get to eat with me.  He doesn't get to eat with the kids who have finished the test.  He gave his smart watch to his teacher.  He took the Road ID off his shoe for fear of it making noise and causing a misadministration.  (A Road ID is simply an identification tag he wears on his shoe when he runs.)  I don't know where he is eating, because I couldn't see him.

As his sweet teacher told me what was going on, I cried.  I cried in front of all his friends.  I tried to stop but I just couldn't.  My teacher friend came over and hugged me, I cried some more.  I cried because I had promised him I would eat lunch with him when he was finished.  I cried because I kept my promise and he didn't even know it.

After three hours, these kids are eating lunch an hour after they usually do.  They are fried, and mine has to keep going.  Why is a 9 year-old taking a three hour test?  And he has to take another one on Thursday!

He isn't finished because he isn't smart.  This kid has grown seven reading levels this year.  He is smart!  But he questions things.  He wonders how things work and why do you think that.  He plays 'What if' and 'Would You Rather' all the time.  So I am sure he has read and reread the questions and over analyzed them for fear of making a mistake.  Because in his creative brain there may be several ways the question could be answered.

My heart breaks for these kids.  This testing is so unnecessary.  It isn't a true test of what they know.  It isn't a true test of his school.  I am not mad at his teacher or the school or anyone in that school.  They are simply doing what they have been told to do.  And if they don't do it this way, everyone has to do it all over again.

A nine year old and a three hour test.  Who thought that was a good idea?