This is Regents week in New York for high school students. Every academic subject taught in high school (English, Maths, Global History, American History, languages, etc.) terminates in a Regents exam. Not only must you pass the class to get the credit to graduate, but you must pass your Regents exams.
We teach to the test--A LOT. We have to. We try to teach the kids to beat the test, how to get points and pass, how to write formulaic essays that are dry and answer the task proposed by the test-makers. As a teacher, it is agonizing but it must be done.
But even with all this test prep, there are certain obstacles we can't overcome. A student I know by name only left with my bathroom pass today during the exam and never returned, leaving his sweatshirt behind (I make them leave collateral). Here is the essay he left:
Writing an essay for such a stupid topic is very pointless and a very big waste of time. No amount of note taking or listening would make this topic interesting. How the hell would I know how and why people make food choices I'm not a fucking mind reader. The University of the State of New York is a croc of bullshit for giving us such a dumbass listening passage. Why the fuck should I have to listen to Cynthia Sass talk about the food her husband likes or dislikes. I hope the person that is reading this essay pays attention and takes heed to the words that are being said. Listening passages like this are the reason young black men don't attend school and drop out. When you grow up in a place like Bed-Stuy or Brownsville articles on food choices don't teach you how to help your mother that is on drugs.
Nope, the Regents isn't going to help you figure out what to do with your strung out mom...I can't argue with that.
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