Just another day at work

So, today I had to give one of those dratted beginning of the year tests. And due to funding, or lack of, the students could not write in the book, but instead must fill in a teeny, tiny, microscopic size circle. Evidently funding for large font is at a premium also. So I pass out the tests and give the very interesting story of every third grader in Bettendorf and perhaps the world, that will use these tests. WE CANNOT WRITE IN THEM. Angelically they nod. Then I pass out the magnifiers (joking) along with the answer sheets and an index card to help them track.We do an example together. Again, passive and academic looks from them all. This is going to be a good test.

We proceed to problem one. I am reading it aloud. I circle. Someone has written in the book. I whisper the correction, move on and announce once more about the poor children in Florida who need these test booklets.
Question 2, circle, student #2 marking in the book, whisper the correction, move on and announce that because we are a gifted bunch we don't want to give away our answers.
Question 3, circle, student #3 marking in the book, whisper the correction and have them erase answers 1,2 and 3. I'm beginning to get a pattern here.I stop everyone and announce that there is no marking in the book. My tone takes on a trace of annoyance...ARE THEY LISTENING? Oh, and did I mention that this is a listening test?????????

We struggle through with an error on almost every question, total of 17 questions, 26 students. Thinking I have caught all the marks in the book, I breathe a sigh of relief at our completion. Then two students lag in returning their test booklets. They got confused, mixed up, lost, whatever, and they were trying to correct the error of their ways. Bless their souls, they were trying to look at photos and remember the ONE sentence I gave them. Need I remind you this is a LISTENING TEST?

If my pay depends on this score I hope I can buy organic on food stamps.