Thanks to everyone who participated in the comment contest!  Your comments were both fun and funny, and as always, thought provoking.  There were straight answers and qualified answers, smart answers and smart alecky answers.  I’m so glad it turned out that way, because that’s exactly the kind of community I want to be part of, and it reflects what I suspect happens with students.  Some of them follow the expectations, because, well, that’s what’s expected.  Others feel the need to add more.  Maybe they know more and feel limited by the test.  Maybe they feel the need to rebel just a bit by making a point or adding humor.  I remember a biology test in high school where I defined goiter as a hump, a lump, a mump, or a bump.  I couldn’t explain it in biological terms as was required, so I opted for humor.  I wasn’t going to get credit either way, but I thought I could at least amuse my teacher.  I’m not suggesting we should advance students based on their ability to make us laugh.  I am suggesting, however, that there are so many ways achieve and to assess achievement.  Hopefully the educational pendulum will start to swing back the other way sooner rather than later.

The official winner of the $10 Starbucks gift card is (imagine drumroll here)…

Martha!

Congratulations, Martha, and thanks so much for participating!

At this point I have to admit that conducting a contest is no easy task, especially when the comments were so supportive and so much fun.  Once I drew a name I didn’t want to quit, so I picked a second place winner.  I don’t really remember who it was because after that, I just kept drawing and drawing until all the names were drawn.  So, if you commented and your name isn’t Martha, congratulations!  You are a second place winner and will receive a $5 Starbucks card!  Please email me at idageschke1@comcast.net with a current email address.

Thanks again to all of you who follow my blog and support my writing efforts with your attention and kind words.  I truly appreciate each of you.