The next couple of weeks are dedicated to testing. Most of the tests are of the AP or IB category, not standardized tests to determine the effectiveness of the school program. So the tests are standardized but their purpose is supposed to be more lofty not more prosaic. This year's junior class, the students with whom I am most familiar, are not prepared to take the AP English Literature exam. They have weak critical thinking skills and even weaker writing skills. The handful of students who have come for tutoring may pass, one or two may do slightly better than a simple pass; but the majority of the students are not able to write a two page five paragraph essay on a directed topic to save their lives. One of the teachers has been sending me multiple excuses including that the students are lazy and the principal is incompetent. While either or both of those may be true, the fact of the matter is this is the teacher who has already told them they don't need to come for the next two weeks since there is so much pressure on them, who has simply not shown up for class or scheduled meetings with students with no excuse and no advance notice, who told the class that the core meaning of "Hamlet" was that Gertrude was horny and treacherous. My husband tells me that I should simply resign both my paid and volunteer positions.
The young lady who is a senior decided to go to Harvey Mudd rather than MIT or Stanford. Because she skipped a grade she is younger than the normal freshman and was quite intimidated by MIT on her campus visit and bored to tears at Stanford. She picked Harvey Mudd because everyone seemed as immature and nerdy as she is. Oh well, you can lead the horse to water but you can't make it drink.
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