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Mpls, MN, United States

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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Grading

Uh-hmmmmmmm.

I spent all day grading exams and am about halfway done. The first half always takes longer than the second half, but I still write too many comments and generally take too long on all of them. I comfort myself with the fact that for their third and final exam, since we're not even returning them, I won't have to write any comments. And, really, by that point I pretty much know which students are going to fall into which grade brackets--so I'll only have to skim the exams for my overachievers, at least. Unfortunately, I also know I'll take too long on those, since I always picture my B and C students studying and trying really hard in a last-ditch effort for the final... but then they score as their usual B and C selves. There are rarely surprises.

I am also slightly comforted by the fact that after I returned their first exams, one of my students actually thanked me, in section that day, in front of the rest of the class, for the notes I'd written, and said they'd been helpful. That never happens, and it was really validating. In fact, did I already blog about that here? I know I thought about it, because it was such a rare flash of encouragement.
I don't enjoy grading under any circumstances, but I will say it's more enjoyable to grade papers and tests for which one has designed the assignment. Grading another professor's assignments, by his or her standards, is always a challenge. One more reason I'm ready to be done with this degree.

2 comments:

Carissa said...

That's a big reason why I enjoy teaching business writing for an online university. Most of my students have full time jobs and they can start applying what they've learned in my class immediately. They often thank me for my comments on their assignments. :)

And I know what you mean about grading other professor's assignments. I had to do that for one of the online schools I taught for (I'm thankfully done with them!) and I hated it.

CëRïSë said...

Carissa, how great for your students to be able to apply so directly what they're learning from you! I haven't taught for an exclusively online university, but I have enjoyed the online/hybrid classes I've taught through traditional schools. What's your opinion generally on online university teaching?