The Duck Steps Here

This week I went to Kentucky. I stayed in a four star hotel and ate catered meals (most of which I couldn't eat more of than the salad because I am gluten intolerant) and I graded over 1,050 tests for question #1 in AP Language. Of course, at times the things those high school seniors wrote made absolutely no sense. For instance, "The duck steps here." I stared at that phrase for several seconds before I read on, convinced that some things were never meant to be understood. However, a few lines down, the student made a reference to President Truman and a light went on in my brain. Didn't President Truman say, "The buck stops here"? I looked back at the phrase, "The duck steps here" and realized that the rather messy handwriting had reversed the b and made a loopy thing at the top of the o in stops. The student had indeed meant to write "The buck stops here," but had failed to take care in forming the letters. Ah, I said to myself, there is a lesson to be learned here. Understanding is crucial to communication. I tell my students to write in a clear and concise manner for a good reason--so they can be understood. Writing with care--it's something that could save the world. Maybe more people would believe me if I could get Miss America to say it in response to her interview question.

Off to grade AP tests

Wow. I can't believe I'm doing it again. I'm off to grade AP English Language tests--hundreds of them. In Kentucky. It was fun to spend evenings by and in the ocean when the grading event was held in Daytona Beach. What is there to do in Kentucky in the summer? Maybe a steamboat ride, but that hardly compares to playing in the ocean. Oh, well--positive attitude, positive attitude.

Synopses

So what do you do when the actual novel is much better than the synopsis you sent off?