Member-only story
Testing is toasting
… and toasting is grilling, not honoring.
I accidentally received a job assignment today. I didn’t think it through very well but just accepted it because, no matter how small the pay was, it was still extra income. However, when I later saw the details of the job, I regretted taking it.
The job was assisting a test taker who required accommodations. The student needed someone to record their answers on the computer while they worked on paper due to an eye health condition.
I arrived earlier than the test taker and waited for a while until they arrived. We were both checked into a room with glass doors for the test. The room had two chairs, a table, and a desktop computer on the same table. I sat in front of the computer while the student sat beside me.
The test taker began their paper-and-pencil test. The exam had three parts and lasted for more than four hours. While the student was answering questions on paper, I had nothing to do. My phone was in a locker, I had nothing to read, and I wasn’t allowed to move. I had to sit still and idle, realizing how hard it is to stay still. I battled with myself mentally. Eventually, I couldn’t resist my restlessness. I cracked my fingers and ankles, scratched my head, yawned, coughed, or sighed — but all as quietly and carefully as possible, so as not to distract the test taker. Whenever I…
