Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Nov. 9th, 2010 08:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bearshortyWell, my brain is fried. I had to finish grading 9 papers, teach two classes and have extra office hours for four students since next paper is due Friday. So in practical terms, I was working from 6am to 4:30pm non-stop. I’m really thankful for the time change that allowed me to be awake and capable of actual work at 6am. The only break I had until 4:30 was on the car ride to work. I even graded during lunch. I graded six papers before my classes and three in between office hours. I saved the papers of kids who came to office hours to be graded after class so I could give in to them at office hours and maintain an illusion that I had grading under control and finished it all on time. But yay, Paper 3 is finished. I rejoice.
The classes went really well today. I read to them an example of C+ paper and A paper and then showed them why the grade was different. They couldn’t tell just from hearing the connection if it was a strong or a weak connection between two authors. In every body paragraph, they need to use quotes from two authors, explain the quotes and then write out a clear connection that they see between two quotes (which is really hard for most of them). So, on the board, I broke it down to baby steps: This is quote one, this is quote two, this was the connection. Are these the best two quotes for this connection? Is connection clear? etc. Then I made them sit in groups and work on their own connections in drafts of their Paper 4. And I walked around and commented too. Overall, I mostly improvised today but it worked out really well and I really hope it will help them. I noticed that this year I’m much more certain when I explain the paper structure to them and the pace at which we do exercises. I think I really settled into teaching this class.
By 4:30 when I was done with the last paper, my brain could not process any more information. I did have to fill out official course request for next semester and then I finally checked my email. Then I went for a little walk since I really needed oxygen. This evening I watched the latest “How I Met Your Mother” online and now I’m just going to read a bit. I need to finish my vampire book since someone at my library has in on hold, so I can’t renew it and I don’t feel like paying too many late fees.
Oh, there is a new “Jane Eyre” movie coming next year .
The classes went really well today. I read to them an example of C+ paper and A paper and then showed them why the grade was different. They couldn’t tell just from hearing the connection if it was a strong or a weak connection between two authors. In every body paragraph, they need to use quotes from two authors, explain the quotes and then write out a clear connection that they see between two quotes (which is really hard for most of them). So, on the board, I broke it down to baby steps: This is quote one, this is quote two, this was the connection. Are these the best two quotes for this connection? Is connection clear? etc. Then I made them sit in groups and work on their own connections in drafts of their Paper 4. And I walked around and commented too. Overall, I mostly improvised today but it worked out really well and I really hope it will help them. I noticed that this year I’m much more certain when I explain the paper structure to them and the pace at which we do exercises. I think I really settled into teaching this class.
By 4:30 when I was done with the last paper, my brain could not process any more information. I did have to fill out official course request for next semester and then I finally checked my email. Then I went for a little walk since I really needed oxygen. This evening I watched the latest “How I Met Your Mother” online and now I’m just going to read a bit. I need to finish my vampire book since someone at my library has in on hold, so I can’t renew it and I don’t feel like paying too many late fees.
Oh, there is a new “Jane Eyre” movie coming next year .
(no subject)
Date: 2010-11-10 08:28 pm (UTC)Congrats on getting through the grading; I can see how your brain is fried though! What grade do you teach?
(no subject)
Date: 2010-11-10 11:33 pm (UTC)This semester it is "Basic Composition" class. The university requires all the incoming student to take "Expository Writing" and there are many students who have low SAT scores and don't do well on the placement test, so they are required to take "Basic Composition" before taking "Expos".
I think it is actually very useful because we really ask them to do writing in college that they never done before. Expos is the most hated class in our school because it is so hard for most students. And as much as many students complain that they have to get through Basic Comp first, they come to see pretty fast how useful it is for them.
So I always prefer "Basic Comp" over "Expos" But next semester I'll probably teach expos. At least the new Expos book has an article about Harry Potter fandom, that I'm so teaching!