Sweet--and sad

It truly was hard saying goodbye to the SF students today. We ended up sitting in the snack area instead of in our classroom, while the students ate their pizza--and as usual, they did as much talking with each other (and a fair amount of friendly ribbing) as they did talking to/with me. A couple of them really wanted to read my dissertation, too; I had to nudge them to continue to pass it around. A number of them said they want to sign up for Native American Lit--but I've had the experience a few too many times of students saying that and then, after a little time away from the magic of my presence, realizing that in fact they really don't want to do that kind of hard work again. I don't really expect any of them to sign up for it. If any of them do, I'll be thrilled. (I'll be especially thrilled if three or four of the best and brightest sign up, as they're likely to raise all the boats, as it were.)

I think it's more likely that I'll end up seeing a smattering of them for mentoring appointments in the fall, which would be equally dandy.

They genuinely had a hard time leaving and saying goodbye; I believe that the majority of them were completely sincere in saying what they appreciated about the class. They were very willing to deflect all the praise onto me, but I kept telling them that a lot of it was about them: the miracle and mystery of class chemistry. And I was quite sincere in telling them that this was one of three real miracle classes in my career: one section of Nature in Lit (and I'm still in touch with a few students from that class, two of whom went on to become teachers), the first Fiction Writing class I taught, and this one. Experiences for the books. They were truly a delight.

Speaking of that first Fiction Writing class, I forgot to mention that on Monday I ran into Rose in Bloom from that class. She's off to start her master's degree in the fall, but right now she's taking a course or two at NCC, just to keep her hand in, and working just down the block. It was delightful to see her, and she looked and sounded very confident. Apparently she and another student from that class--I think I called him the Real Writer--ended up in the same B.A. program and ran into each other at a party. I love those strange confluences.

Shifting gears--and not in an entirely happy direction, I'm sorry to say--but I spent some time today scanning and posting critical articles that may, maybe, be helpful for the Nature in Lit students as they try to scale the heights of their final essays. One of them has been smart enough to be in touch with me about hers (and she's really struggling), but I just sent an announcement to them all to let them know that the material is there--even though I encourage them to do their own research as originally mandated--and letting them know I am available to help as much as possible by email between now and Sunday, when the essays are due. I've also told them that I will respond to specific posts that I haven't commented on if they ask me to--but otherwise (I didn't tell them but am telling you--and myself, more to the point) I'll just be slapping grades on things so I'm all but done with that class.

I'll be getting some revisions of the second essay from students in the SF class on Monday, revisions from Nature in Lit students on Tuesday, and there are two students who will be fulfilling incompletes, all of which will drag out the end of semester much further than I'd ideally like, but I'm willing to give the students the chances to succeed.

The student I was so mad at yesterday, about not submitting to Turnitin, swears that she did--and I know there has been an occasional glitch with Turnitin, so that's not altogether impossible. Ultimately, I just put the fear of god into her, telling her that I was disinclined to give her the passing grade, but she gave me a long story about how she's making up the rest of the course work this summer, getting a waiver for one credit, her parents barely scraped together the money for her summer tuition and only did that so she could walk in the ceremony on the 20th. Oh, fine. Fuck it. Whatever. I'll give her the D--and I told her to pay it forward. I hope she does. Eventually, if she's this remiss about fulfilling her responsibilities--either in college or in other areas of her life--the world will not be so kind. I don't have to be the one to teach her the lesson.

As for now, I have my little bag of things to do this weekend all packed. I may not get to any of them, but at the very least I'll have the bag ready to schlep to Advisement with me. I've been going back and forth about whether to keep my fiddle lesson this weekend; we had to miss two weeks in a row, had one lesson, and now will miss again, but ... I haven't done much practicing, am unlikely to do any tonight, as late as I'll get home, and honestly, could really use the time on Saturday either to do grading or to, oh, I don't know, maybe sleep? If I end up working, I'll probably post. Otherwise, I will be back here nattering on Monday.