Confident

Today is day 2 of lock-down benchmark testing. It is basically tests that are only taken for data, so we can try and teach them all the stuff they don't know for when TAKs comes. These poor kids. 8 hours of testing. Yesterday and today have been pretty nice for me though, just sitting in the front of the room, bringing them pencils every once in a while when they push the lead to the scantron too hard because they are frustrated with the ridiculousness of taking these tests. I don't blame them.

I've never proctored a test. I guess it's something that I can cross off my bucket list that not many people have had the opportunity to do. I've had many a test proctored for me but I never really saw, or cared for that matter, what the job entailed. Not much. I pass out the tests, pass out the scantrons, read a blurb about how they must answer each question by filling in the bubble completely, all that good stuff. Also, how I can not answer any questions unless they are about directions. Okay, ready, go.

I still get the occasional question that is about content where I have to say, I can't answer that, do your best. A moment ago, I was hit with a question that may stick with me for the rest of my life. He silently raised his hand and I brought him a pencil. "No Miss I don't need a pencil." "What's up?" I asked. He pointed to his test and asked, "what does confident mean?" I immediately had to pick my jaw up from the floor and say, "I can't answer that, do your best." First of all, I wish I knew the context of the question but seeing as I am not even allowed to look at the test that was impossible. Second of all, why does this child not know what the word confident means? Not that it even matters, but this is one of my brightest kids. Confidence. This is something I am blessed (or burdened) with having a lot of. My confidence has gotten me through a lot and this child does not even know what the word means let alone the idea of it. It actually feels like someone just shot me with a stun gun. I am bewildered by the fact that not once in his existence has this boy heard the word confident. I would even say that he is a pretty confident student, proud of his work, willing to help others, but he doesn't even know what it means.

So I question myself, can one have confidence, be confident, without the basic knowledge of the word itself?

Mini-Lesson here we come.

CS