You May Have to Call the Paramedics for Me...

I think that I am going to have a coronary...

As I am reading VERBATIM the directions for the Session 3 Math Assessment for the WASL this morning, I asked if the class needed me to reread any part of the directions again. One student raised his hand and asked why tools were not permitted on this session of the test. I responded that on the first sessions of the test they are testing if they know procedures and on this session they are looking at both procedure and cognitive learning. So they don't allow the usage of tools."

Other kids piped up saying things like:

"We didn't know that we could use the calculators."

OK... WHAT?!?!?!?!?

"We were waiting for the questions to tell us when to use the tools."

I said, "Why would I ask you to get out tools and put them on your desk for you to NOT use them? The directions specifically said that you are able to use any tools available to you."

They said, "We thought it would be cheating."

Mental head slap.

From the comments, I gathered that the students did not use the tools that we took at least 15 minutes getting out and putting on their desks for them TO USE during the first two sessions of the test.

During the sessions, no one asked about using the tools. No one said ANYTHING even after the testing!

I just don't understand...