People who like tests are weirdos

Sean has been taking standardized tests in order to get his permanent teachers license for Virginia schools. Last Saturday he took the VCLA - which is a test to prove he can read and write. Now, I think that this test was a complete waste of time and money. If you can get a doctorate and not be able to read or write, I want to know what school that your degrees came from - that's the school for me!

Better yet, today he took the Praxis II (for music). This test seems like it actually has a purpose - a way to prove that you are competent in the area that you teach. But oh no. That would be too useful. This (required) exam tests your knowledge of band, choir and orchestra music, techniques, etc... Not a single question on guitar. NOT ONE. So, Sean has been studying (and he has been really sick all week) about appropriate choral music for high school students, what the definition of a rim shot is, and how you should seat all the instruments in a band. Doesn't that seem like really useful stuff for a guitar teacher to know?

Well, apparently he thinks it is. After the test today, Sean was telling me all about how it is fun to take tests that make you learn new things. Now, normally I would agree that learning new things is a lot of fun - but taking tests for fun - that's for weirdos. I married one.