if you can't pass illinois' basic skills test on the first try, you shouldn't be a teacher. period.

it's called basic skills for a reason. even if it is a flawed test, which it is, and even if it, like all standardized tests, is biased towards a certain segment of society, it is still ridiculously easy. a failure to pass it speaks to a lack of dedication to education and most likely to a lack of performance in the classroom. for goodness sake, it's written on an 8th grade level!! just study and you'll pass and if you don't, then don't teach! the worst part of it is that the people who can't even pass this simple test end up becoming special ed teachers, cause it's easy to get a job in special ed. the students who need good teachers the most are being handed the worst. these are the teachers who treat teaching as a job rather than a career. argghh!!

on that tirade, i will sign off for the day. i got one hour to get a shit-load of work done. wish me luck!!

remind me to tell you about my professor tomorrow, he's got a pretty cool story.