Lady Macbeth I am not, despite what my students think, but I do feel like I'm responsible for a bloodbath. I've marked all but three of the second versions of the final papers for the Short Story class, and although they genuinely are better (hooray!) they still have a long, long way to go (boo!). I do wish I could bring myself to mark the last three: I tried to save the best for last, but I looked at the first paragraph of one of them and thought, "Oh no. Oh shit. Oh well." And hit the wall.
In class today, I asked students to let me know when they could pick up their marked papers; the one I just looked at needs to be ready by 11:15 tomorrow morning; the other two I can grade during my office hour. So the plan is to come in as early as I can make it, grade that one, do adjunct scheduling until my office hour, then grade the last two--and see where that leaves me in terms of time.
The class period was pretty easy today. I went over the procedure for submitting final papers with them, worked out when they'd be picking them up, told them they could work with each other or stay and ask me questions--or they could simply split. Most split (not a surprise--and in fact a relief.) One student needed to have his paper marked then and there, as he had no other opportunity to pick it up; a few others stayed briefly to ask questions. One of those is the one I know has been plagiarizing all semester, but I haven't been able to catch him at it (very sophisticated plagiarizing). I did point out to him that two pieces of information in his paper had no textual support anywhere (the plagiarism flag flying in my head)--so he agreed to either find the support or remove the information. Still, I don't want to expend energy and anxiety tying my knickers in a knot trying to nail down plagiarists. If I can do it relatively easily, well and good. Otherwise--as in the case of this kid--I have to adopt a Pollyanna-ish stance and believe that their cheating ways will at some point bite them in the ass (the evidence of Big Finance notwithstanding)
On the other hand, going over the paper with the student who needed his grade right then was kinda great. The student has good ideas; they just haven't been making it into his papers very well. I pointed out where ideas needed to be clarified, where the connections were missing, where he had an idea to develop and where he was off track--and he seemed to be getting it. It was an experience validating Paul's assertion that one-on-one conferencing is the best way to help students see what's going on in their work. Paul's right, and I know it works; I just have made the choice not to expend that kind of energy. (Are we noticing a trend?) If I ever do it again, it will be with final papers, when I have fewer students to meet with. I admire Paul's tenacity--and devotion--in continuing the process, but I'm trying to make life easier for myself, and conferencing is exhausting.
And I'm already exhausted: the ongoing cat worries (especially Monday's drama) have wrung me out, and I am finding it a challenge to recover. (I also find it a challenge to know what day of the week it is....) Part of the slow recovery is actually anticipatory in nature: I know what's still in front of me to be done. Final versions of final papers are arriving from the 102s tomorrow, and final versions of final papers from the Short Story class on Monday. Consequently, you may well ask (as I ask myself) when I intend to look at promo folders, and write up that observation, and finish the other tasks that must (really must) be finished before the end of next week. And my honest answer would be, I don't know. This semester is a very interesting exercise for me in learning the futility of plans (mouse plans or human plans, they do seem to gang agly, not just aft, but damned near always). I live by the Book of Scarlett O'Hara (though I have yet to make an outfit out of old drapes). Sufficient unto the day are the tasks thereof.
And the chocolate thereof. William showered me with chocolate, not only for my birthday but to help me get through the whole issue of the sick cat--and I damned near polished all of it off tonight. (I have to say, dark chocolate and cocoa dusted almonds are wickedly snackable.) But even all that sweetness (and the bit of caffeine within) won't get me through one more paper. I'd write the observation up, but I'm concerned to get home before too late.
I truly cannot believe that a week from tomorrow it will all be over. How is that possible? Is that possible?? Weird as hell.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment