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THINGS HAVE CHANGED:

Since I am no longer a professor in the classroom, this blog is changing focus. (I may at some future date change platforms, too, but not yet). I am now (as of May 2019) playing around with the idea of using this blog as a place to talk about the struggles of writing creatively. Those of you who have been following (or dipping in periodically) know that I've already been doing a little of that, but now the change is official. I don't write every day--yet--so I won't post to the blog every day--yet. But please do check in from time to time, if you're interested in this new phase in my life.


Hi! And you are...?

I am interested to see the fluctuation in my readers--but I don't know who is reading the blog, how you found it, and why you find it interesting. I'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to use the "comment" box at the end of any particular post to let me know what brought you to this page--and what keeps you coming back for more (if you do).





Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Petite break

I've been churning through the homework backlog and am seeing definitive signs of progress--but I also just got revisions of the second essay for my M/W 101s today; I'll get the two T/TH batches tomorrow, so I'll again be buried. However, I told the students I won't mark anything on the revisions: I'll just read and provide a grade. I mean it, too. I'm not going to even have my pen in my hand (or the compulsion to mark will become irresistible).

I'm debating whether to use the rubric sheets I have, so the students see a brief rationale for the grade. The rubric sheets are based on a SUNY explanation of what is considered appropriate at this level for papers in general and for revisions: the SUNY panel that put together the parameters divided the evaluation possibilities into four categories: exceeding expectations, meeting them, approaching them, and not meeting them. I in turn pulled out 11 specific areas to evaluate--from theses to sentence-level stuff--and put a check line for "exceeding," "meeting," etc. next to each area. I can then just go through and, for each area, simply check the appropriate line. It helps me keep in mind why I'm thinking of the grade I'm inclined to assign. It also gives the students something concrete to consider, and they like that. (I also think concreteness is pedagogically useful: it isn't merely comforting, because they like things to be codified; it's also a quick visual expression of where their trouble spots are or where they are doing well.) I probably will use the rubric sheets--I just have to be very careful not to write anything in the "comments" section of the form. I don't have the time. Or the energy. Or the patience. Or compassion. Not at this end of the semester (and my rope).

I am not very happy with myself about the last few weeks of my T/Th classes. I haven't found time to give them some of the lessons on documentation that the Monday 101 got, and in general I feel they've gotten short shrift at the end of the term. Of course, they don't know what they didn't get, so they can't feel ripped off (if in fact they would: they might actually feel relieved that I didn't try to shove one more thing into their heads). And tomorrow I'm going to keep them for about five minutes and then turn them loose in their groups; I might be inclined to keep them longer, but the best bunch from RB need time in daylight to work on part of their presentation, and I want to be sure to give them as much time as I can.

In terms of their presentations, I keep emphasizing "have a back up plan," but I'm not sure they understand the concept--and they may not until the first time they are ready to do a presentation and find themselves missing a crucial component (the video won't play; a group member is absent and has the only copy of the script...). And I feel a little unhappy with myself that I didn't allow myself time to think over their presentation grades and give them feedback. (I can for MB, as I'll see them one more class after their presentations are finished, but I can't for the T/TH classes.) Kinda didn't think that part through all the way. Ah well.

And somehow my brain just switched over to worry about next semester, and I realized that for weeks now I've been saying to myself "I have to pull together the materials for the photocopied readers for next semester's classes and send them over to the print shop"--and I still haven't done it. I seriously need to, if not tomorrow then early next week. As is, the print shop may get snooty about it and say I didn't give them enough time. Which is horseshit, of course, as it takes them about two minutes to run the copies plus another ten to bind them--and I don't need the readers until the third week in January. But they usually say they require two months lead time. Still, worst case scenario? I don't have the readers for the first week of class, and I'll make copies of the first assignments on my own. Still, it is something I must take care of.

So is going to Human Resources to check the personnel files for the two colleagues I am mentoring who are going up for promotion. I also have to check my own file, just to be sure everything is in there that should be (and nothing that shouldn't).

But if I start thinking like that, I'll drive myself screaming around the bend. Right now, getting that backlog of homework out of my hair and back in the students' hands is the fire I need to stamp out. No dance tonight, but dinner with Paul after his last class: that will keep me here in the office and at least somewhat productive until about 8, which is fine. And then I'll be back here at 8:30 a.m. for a freaking assessment committee meeting. Gack, ick, ptewy. But I'll bring coffee for everyone (myself included) in an attempt to make the event seem more festive. If I were truly altruistic, I'd bring donuts too, but since I can't eat them, damned if I'll sit there and watch other people enjoy munchies I bought but can't consume. I do get cranky about having to get up at what is for me an unholy early hour in order to get here on time (with or without stopping for coffee), but looking always for that silver lining, since I don't have another meeting tomorrow (miracle of miracles), I will be able to sit here from 10 to 1 (or thereabouts), clanking through marking whatever is next in line to be marked. Here's hoping I get through a lot.

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