Two Tests Down

My students took the second part of the BIG state test today and I am beginning to think the deck is stacked against me. Things did not go well and here's what happened: For starters, there is no school tomorrow and the test was given on the afternoon of the day before a three day weekend. My students were very wound up and as a result were not in the proper frame of mind to take an important test. Second the testing room was very hot and stuffy. The students spent more time whining about being hot than putting effort into the test. Third, shortly after the test began an ambulance came screaming into the school parking lot for a sick child. This was tremendously distracting and my students were desperately trying to see what was happening and not worried so much about performing on the test. Finally, I had several students finish way more quickly than they should have. In turn this caused other students to rush through the test just for the sake of being finished. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not an excuse maker and I'm not saying my students would have done any better without the factors listed above. But I sure could have done without all the extra distractions. My students have a difficult enough time without the extra obstacles. Only time will tell if my students were adversely affected today.