Tests, tests, and more tests!!

The horror of tests were upon me and my classes today. I have never been so sick of tests I didn't have to take in my life. I hated not being allowed to answer their questions while knowing that if the format wasn't confusing, they would have had no problem. So many of the students will get horrible grades on these two tests even though they know most of the information. I feel as if I have failed them by not preparing them for these tests. But what is one to do? I know that I will warn them next time about the idea of group multiple choice questions. They didn't understand that only one bubble was to be filled in...here is an example:

1. Choose the letter that matches.....(blah, blah, blah). (This was with time on an analog clock and the answers were digital)

1. O 2. T 3. C 4. P

A: 1. C 2. T 3. O 4. P
B: 1. O 2.T 3. P 4. C
C: 1. O 2.T 3. C 4. P
D 1. O 2.P 3. C 4. T

Of course the answer is C, but some of the students had multiple answers for each number, and still others counted each of the answers as a separate number. Unfortunately, there will be no leniency in correcting because these are bubble sheets corrected by computer (with no example given, by the way). The other problem I see is that they had a section of family tree questions. One of the answers was second cousin and one was mother in law. They didn't study those concepts; they were not in the book from which this test is supposedly drawn! What are these people thinking?

The tests lasted for two of our three class periods. The third one, I went over the test that they took last Thursday! I don't have any idea how I am supposed to get all of the lessons in for this week. Actually, I am pretty sure I can't, so I won't really even try.

Well, that is plenty from the teaching front for now. I was supposed to go shopping today, but my housemate never came home, so I think he went without me. I am hoping that if he did, that he lets me know how much I owe him. I hate eating the food here right now because I didn't pay for it. I offered to do so, but they didn't want my money because I was new and couldn't really pay for it. Well I can pay for it now, and I would like to do so!!