differences

Today I had a chuckle as I graded the life science tests that my seventh graders took yesterday. I often end my tests with a few short answer questions, and it's always revealing to see the differences in my students' responses. Look closely at the last question on this page, where two students answered using only one sentence. If you'd like to actually read the responses, click on each photo to enlarge.

Yes, that one on the left is ONE sentence. It's ironic to note that the long, drawn out, detailed answer came from a student whose mother tongue is Korean and could be borderline ESL, while the short, simple answer came from a student whose mother tongue is English. It amazes me how hard the students who are not native English speakers work, while many of the native English speakers are often content to get by with average or mediocre work. What incredibly talented students God has created! It makes me wonder how I would do if someone plucked me from America and made me finish high school in Spanish after taking only a few language classes.