It’s time for standardized Grade 3 and 6 testing in Ontario. EQAO stands for “Education Quality and Accountability Office”. The kids are far more creative that that, however. How about “Evil Questions Attacking Ontario”? I like that better.
Today I was assisting a young man who needed the Math questions read to him. “Jeremy” tried so hard on every single page. Often the student needs to show his work and I watched Jeremy sort out his thinking on the page. While he was writing, there wasn’t anything to do. So I decided to watch his hand.
He holds a pencil pretty much like I do and was quite deft in his strokes. But I was fascinated … he was lefthanded. I had never before watched a lefty do his or her thing.
I thought of my left hand and how its fine motor ability is not much at all. Any previous attempts to use the beast merely produced a series of illegible scrawls. So here was a kid who needed some help, easily doing something that I didn’t have a hope of matching. Hmm …
I consider myself a smart person, sensitive to other people’s needs, funny in my better moments. But look at Jeremy go. He’s no better or worse than me. We both have strengths and weaknesses. And actually the whole comparing thing is a waste of time.
Jeremy is thoroughly Jeremy
Bruce is thoroughly Bruce
And Planet Earth is delighted to have us both
Bruce's Blog 
An awesome way to see what many do not really see Bruce.
Thank you, Lyrinda. Such teachers, these children.
It really is fascinating to see how others do things, I am a Lefty 🙂 .Often times people say to me oh how odd the way you hold your pencil etc. I remember working in retail many years ago, and a fellow told me how awkward I looked with a pen in my hand, and my writing was horrible. I agreed with the poor quality of my penmanship for sure….then he had to sign the receipt, turn about is fair play I used his words on his signature. He seemed rather stunned! eyes wide open, everyone has a story and it is different from yours, no matter which hand you use! I love this post.
How strange, Donna, that someone told you how awkward you looked when writing. The old “Don’t throw stones if you live in a glass house” nugget.
yes that was my thought! this was years ago, before politically correct became a thing, but it always stood out in my mind, you know the category of what not to say. When I repeated his words back to him, I am sure he decided they did not reply since he used the proper hand 🙂