I watched as she finished putting the ingredients together for the chili. I made breakfast as she did that. Soon it was time to venture out the door.

Class settled as I distributed the marked test.

"I want you all to realize that you did very well, once again your spelling caught up with you, so I am going to think of something to help with that. I just need a day or two. I am also going to change things up. This morning, we are going to review the essay writing part, which unfortunately confused all of you. Then instead of a test on Friday, we will have it Monday after lunch. With the exception of the mid-term and the final, I will have you mark your own, so your mistakes will be fresh. And if you wish to have those two on a Friday, thus freeing yourself up for the weekend. Just let me know. Now let's talk about these tests and essay writing."

"So that means we will have to study over the weekend?"

"No, it most certainly does not! It means that, in the morning we can have a review, either before or after our new lesson and that you will be nourished from lunch, rather that skipping breakfast like most of you do. Now if you chose to reread or study on the weekend then it becomes your choice. I try very hard not to assign homework on the weekend. I figure if you work hard all week then you need your down time. Any other questions?"

Two hands went up and I picked Stan over Andrea, "Will you tell us what our next chapter will be, so those of us who want to read it can do so over the weekend?"

"Not a problem, how about we agree that I tell you every Thursday afternoon what chapter we will be covering the next week. That way you can still read it on Thursday night instead of the weekend. Andrea your question?"

"It was the same as Stan, thanks."

"Okay, now let's talk about essay answers. Would someone please read the question, just the question, not your options? Ralph, go ahead."

"Please, write a short essay, which describes how one of the following three, affects joint action?"

"Fine. How many of how many?"

Several hands went up, and I picked one. "One of three."

"Great. Now quietly read your essay answer, then we will discuss how many of the three, you actually answered. I will give you a hint, only five of you answered just one, so that means twenty-five of you got the question wrong."

A few minutes of silence, as they read. I watched as all sorts of scribbles took place.

"Hands up for those who answered all three parts."

More than half the class had hands raised.

"Now, hands up for those who wrote about two of the three parts."

Several hands were raised.

"The five who got the question correct with one aspect, please raise your hand. And would one of those five tell me why the others got it wrong?"

Of the five, I chose Andrew.

"Well, I am only guessing, but I think it was one of two things. They either read the question wrong or they just got carried away with their answer. I almost did that. When I decided to answer about the synovial fluid, my answer just seemed too short and I wanted to add about the muscles used or the ligaments and tendons. But I remembered it was just one of the three, not all three, so I stopped."

"A wonderful way of explaining it. The question was intended to see if you could read and follow directions rather than being a question, if that makes sense. All those actions had been addressed in your multiple-choice questions. But like Andrew said, your answers looked too short. You were writing for the sake of writing and probably to impress me and yourself. You were however, not following directions. Think about it."

I gave them the time needed, to reread the question, reread their essay answer and to check out their questions. When they all settled once again, I asked Andrew to read his essay answer.

"Synovial fluid is a lubricating fluid found in the joint which allows free movement."

Several heads had turned to watch him as he read, then slowly smiles presented and they realized their mistakes.

"So, what are you going to do for the next essay question?"

There were several, 'read it carefully', 'answer just what the question asks'.

"One of the reasons I always suggest that you read through the entire test before doing any answers is to put you in a test taking mind set as well as providing a review. By reading through it you have an idea of what is being asked. My other suggestion is to go with your gut. I know it is your brain that is retaining all this information, but your gut or your inner feelings will direct you. Whatever you pick as your first answer, stick with it, don't change it. Statistics have proven that when you change an answer, your first answer was usually correct, so now you have it wrong."

It was encouraging to see that notes were being written on the back of the test papers.

"Now, how about a quick break before we start on our study of the nervous system, it's even longer than the bones, muscles and joints. Oh, and a FYI, it is not on the midterm. So, don't add stress."

After fifteen minutes we were ready to rock and roll. Some had stretched and grabbed a coffee and started to read.

"Who would like to tell me what the nervous system does for us?"

"It tells us what we are feeling physically and emotionally." Michelle answered.

"Correct, for as far as you took it. What are the main parts of the nervous system?"

"The brain, the spinal cord, the nerves." Billy offered.

"What are your senses? How many senses do we have?"

"Hearing, smelling, seeing. That three so far." Stan provided.

"Tasting and touching for a total of five" Tom stated.

Andrea and Ralph raised their hands at the same time, I pointed to Andrea.

"Isn't there a sixth sense, something to do with intuition or what you called gut feelings?"

"That's what I was going to ask." Ralph commented.

"You are both correct, but the sixth sense is usually avoided when studying. It is there, never not respected. But other than today, it will not be a part of studies."

Everyone nodded.