The Grading is Done

The grading is done. At least for the students who have been paying attention, which is the majority. Those who have not been paying attention will find out sooner or later, most likely after grades are submitted and they see they failed the class. They still have four days to get late assignments in. But experience tells me they won't take advantage of the grace period. They'll have to repeat the course.

During these last few days of grading and seeing some students shoot themselves in the foot, I've been muttering about these students and their bad behavior. Angel Baby will hear me and say, "Mom, let them fail." I know he's right. Still, I have a tough time watching this happen.

I've already heard from one student who is upset over my not accepting his final papers sent to me via email rather than submitted into the LMS. He stopped attending class quite a while back, five or six weeks ago. Because he wasn't in class, he didn't get the information about how to submit the final drafts in the LMS. He messed up but wants me to accept the papers, is insisting I meet with him to discuss this matter. I'm fine meeting him. I'm not fine with his tone. The course has an attendance policy. He wants me to bend the rules for him. I could, but I won't. Perhaps if he had taken a different tone with me, I would consider it.

Then I think about the young lady who failed the course last semester and signed up for my class again this semester. This young lady owned her failure and worked so hard this semester to get all the assignments in on time, to revise her work according to the suggestions I offered. She gave up her Friday lunch hours to meet with me in the writing center. In the end, her efforts paid off. She realized what she needed to do to pass the course and she did it. All the while never once complaining about any of it.

The grading is done. I now have time to just sit, breathe.


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