3rd Grade Reading Achievement Test

S had her reading achievement test today. Not wanting to arrive late, we set off from home at around 8:40 am. We got there, Alhamdulillah, easily, (no driving around looking for an invisible address this time) at 9 am.

I parked and as we got in the entrance, I saw the sign 'Spain Restaurant' and one of the kids said,

"Hey, this is a restaurant!"

I hesitated and thought that I was lost, yet again, but I peeked in and saw the sign 'Best Western'. Sighing with relief, I went in, asked the boy manning the reception desk about where the test was, and soon we were climbing up the stairs towards Pacer Hall.

We were the first ones to arrive. Got our stuff and seated ourselves in a corner, and began to do school. I hated interruptions like that, to our schedule. It just messes up everything. Yes, even though we can still bring workbooks and what nots where we go, we do waste time driving and parking and walking. So I was duly engrossed in helping N and H do their math while S sat there waiting for the test to commence.

After a while I noticed that the hallway was less packed with people and I looked at my watch.

It was 9:40 am! I had forgotten to send in my daughter in the exam hall with the other test takers!!! Feeling both sheepish and alarmed, I grabbed S and directed her to the teacher sitting at the table outside the exam hall, which by then had its doors closed.

I fumbled for words and came out with,

"She was supposed to be in there."

How absolutely stupid I sounded. How could I have brought my daughter to the test location so early and failed to send her in on time for the test! Silently I kicked myself.

Well, no harm done. They were giving instructions in there and so S didn't miss much. Yet I still felt so very bad. My daughter's first test and I had messed it all up!

While waiting for her N, H and I went to the other room and did our school work. 11 am, S was done and we went home. In the van S said,

"There were kids who looked like they were bigger than 3rd grade in there."

"Oh...you mean like Binky? Like maybe they didn't go up to fourth grade?"

"Yeah."

I asked her how she did and she said OK. Frankly, I'm not too worried about it. They have the test again in March. If she needs to take it again, so be it.

But..highlight of today : What an absolutely dumb ox I was. Honestly, I thought they would call out,

"Those who are taking the test, please come in now."

Yet they never did and for all I know, we could have sat there till 11 am and missed the test altogether!