As our school year races towards finals, I’ve been reflecting about essay tests. Coincidentally a student, one of my biggest readers, asked why we don’t have fact-based, multiple choice tests. (Let’s just say it: She misses easy work.)

My response? Knowing the facts in a novel forms the floor, not the ceiling. I expect every student to master those basic things. I suppose I’m black and white about black and white facts. Ask as many clarifying questions as you want, but know the basics.

Instead, it’s what we do with them that matters: How do we connect those facts? How do we interpret them? What questions endure?

For instance, it’s not that Odysseus heard prophecies that matters. It’s that those prophecies question whether Odysseus, even in his pride, had free will in his journey home. We almost forget that the Cyclops knew someone named Odysseus would blind him. You know. That kind of stuff.

I’d like to write a post about these things eventually, but with finals, posting might be scarce this month. 😬