An Egocentric Entry
4:44 p.m. - 2003-04-26
It's 4:44 p.m. Make a wish.
Took the test this morning. It was loads of fun, let me tell you. There's just something about standardized tests that makes me all giddy and happy inside. (Careful--don't slip and fall on the sarcasm dripping off of that sentence.) Blech. Yuck. Thank Goddess it's over. I won't know how I did for four weeks. Oh, the joy of paper tests. If the world was centered around me (as it well should be, in this case) I'd have taken a computer test. Save the trees, and all. Plus, I'd have my results instantly, dammit. None of this four week waiting period malarky. (Is malarky a word? Or is it just something some random southerner started saying? Anyone? Anyone?)
Speaking of southerners, there was a question on the test that tickled me. (Tickled...heh. There's another one.) But I can't tell you what it was, because the rules say so. (You know I'm telling you the question, right?) So, if you're going to take the NTE, close your eyes for honesty's sake.
Okay, so the question was about the word idea. Now class, who can pronounce the word idea for me? Anyone? Anyone? (Now I have the sudden urge to go rent Ferris Bueller's Day Off.) You. Over there in the corner. The funny looking girl with the teased bangs and hot pink lipstick. Read that word aloud for me.
"I-DEE-uh."
Good. See class? "I-DEE-uh."
The word is not, in any circumstance, never, ever, EVER pronounced "I-dee." The word is three syllables, class. Let me repeat that. Three syllables. Not two. Three.
And yet, I was forced to lie on my test. They asked me in which instance would I not correct or make a note of a student pronouncing the word as "Idee." And I was forced to bubble in the letter (D), which said something along the lines of, "If it is particular to a student's dialect...blah, blah, blah...especially in the South." Because that was the right answer. And the whole purpose of taking this test is to pass it, you know.
But I still have a problem with it. And DON'T think I wouldn't correct my student if they pronounced the word that way. Because, well...because it's just wrong. "Street" isn't pronounced "skreet", either. I corrected third graders for that all the time. Then they'd try to say it, but they just "couldn't." I didn't FORCE the issue, but every time I made them try to say it correctly. Maybe I'm wrong for doing so, but I'm not going to change. Take the dialect excuse and shove it, whoever you test makers are. Because if you're in my class, you're at least going to know that it's wrong. My way of speaking is correct, because I am all knowing and all powerful. ;-)
Whew! That was a lot of bitching! I feel better now.
Anyway, the test wasn't that bad. I suck at Social Studies though. Maybe even more than I suck at math...which is REALLY saying something. Maybe I'll learn it this time around, seeing as how I'll be teaching it. Or maybe I'll just use the handy-dandy Teacher's Edition a lot. I don't want to become too knowledgable, because I know pretty much everything as it is. The fi tells me so all the time...though he usually sounds a little sarcastic when he says it. Hmm. I wonder why?
Bah. Okay, I'm tired of writing. I need to clean my house.
An added note:
Should this scare me as much as it does? One more thing... Immediately after visiting the site that I linked above, I received this biblical guestbook entry. (It will be gone soon, but it seriously is freaking me out, and I'd like some opinions.) Is this divine intervention? I have been thinking a lot about religion lately. Or can you set up something on a page that spams people's guestbooks? Or is it just a weird coincidence? Help me please, before I pick up the Bible. (Just kidding.) ;-)