Reading directions!

One of the only challenges from teaching this class (aside from finding the time to grade the millions of assignments due EACH week!) is that the students do not read their instructions! I am convinced that they read what they think is important and then ask questions to try to fill in the rest. I’ve stopped answering those questions and have begun pointing them to the syllabus, assignment, course website, etc for the answers. They are also getting use to me asking them if they read the assignment when they ask me a question in which the answer is on the assignment. Some are getting better but not all of them.

To try to get their attention I sent out an extra credit question in one of their emails (the ones that they are suppose to check weekly so they get all of the information they need). I told them the answer to the question in this same email. Earlier in class THAT day, I explained how important it was to read instructions and that they needed to check the email and announcements regularly because that was how I was going to communicate with them. I had 33% of my students respond – half of them were late but only 33% actually read the entire email and responded too it. When I brought it up in class…the others looked dumbfounded and then a couple embarrassed because clearly they hadn’t read the entire email. 

Decisions, Decisions

I made the decision not to teach next semester so I can focus on my dissertation. I love teaching but finally feel like I should just focus on my research. In fact, I am going to only keep the one 10hr assistantship (if it gets funded) so I have more time. We are going to leave Little T in school for the same number of hours most likely so I can focus on my dissertation. My goal next semester...focus on my dissertation.

Conference experience

I presented at a conference a few weeks ago and had a great experience. I have presented before and had great experiences but this one was different. Since the research is mine and not a shared project (I had advising from my major prof but it was based on part of my research). I was much more confident. The session was packed, and I had a lot of great comments and questions. People were interested in what I had to say! It was also nice to be at a conference where I didn't have to explain a lot of background information about my methods and research techniques. Aside from my major prof and a handful of students not a lot of people in my program 'get' what I am doing without explanation. Even at the big conference in my field I have to provide a lot of background. But not at this conference. No one asked me what "turnips" were or to explain the methods I was going to use to collect information about "turnip roots" and what they need to grow (even though they are widely used methods). It was nice to just talk about the research with other people familiar with root vegetables...kind of like catching up with an old friend who knows your history and background. Conference success indeed!

Random Stuff from the Week

• Mr. T is out of town all week - miss him - enjoying sleeping in the middle of the bed
• Making progress on big project
• The grading pile reminds me of Tetris upper levels. As soon as I get through the pile, it creeps back up at an alarmingly quick speed. They have stuff due every week! Wish I had the original Tetris to play on the Wii
• Getting ready for another conference
• Since Stu contacted me the one time, I haven't heard back. Didn't show up in class. Has completed one assignment from weeks ago but that is all. *sigh*
• Semi-productive week so far
• Job posting at one of my dream schools - few hours from the parents - need to get things together since deadline is nearing
• Falling behind on dissertation stuff and am determined to catch up this week
• Need to figure out the rest of Little T's Halloween costume
• Lost the couple of pounds I gained while on holiday
• Back and hands hurt but comes and goes depending on the day. I have a hankering to learn to embroider but the little bit of sewing I did the other day (hemming Little T's pants) killed my hand. I have no idea how to embroider and the pants...well let's just say I'm glad kids don't notice things like horrible sewing at this age
• Made an amazing chili last weekend
• Said no to something last week and got tons of work done so I actually had weekend time to spend with the family- guilt-free
• For a moment today I thought it was spring
• Tonight I plan to go to bed at a decent time, perhaps with a nice glass of red wine
• Bought some delicious jalapeno* cheese (had a midnight snack last night when I couldn't sleep - I didn't eat much dinner so it actually made me feel better..mmm cheese and crackers
• Need to finish two reviews this week - having a really hard time getting through one of them. There are so many quotes it is hard to figure out where the author's thoughts figure in...
• Somewhat caught up on creating class stuff
• Thinking of only working on dissertation next semester so I can finish

*I  feel that this is spelled wrong but I'm too lazy and exhausted right now to figure it out. 

still here!

I promise I'm still here...haven't been tigernapped or taken over by students or been sucked into a black hole.

I've been:

• on holiday with a conference thrown in the middle (more on the fantastic time Mr. T and I had and the presentation I gave and how great it went). Also got to see family and friends in route to dropping Little T off so Mr. T and I could holiday by ourselves. 
• in grading prison - catching up from my fantastic but short-lived few days on holiday
• trying to figure out what exactly to do about Stu - of course I finally heard from Stu while out of town. Seems to have a valid reason but catching Stu up will be difficult (and his responsibility) and I am requiring documentation, which Stu is working on. Supervising instructor gave me some advice that I am going by and hopefully things will work out
• just catching up with everything I put on hold for that fantastic holiday I had with Mr. T. Of course my to-do list is longer, but it was WELL WORTH IT!
• trying to figure out how to get my child to stop saying "dammit" every time she drops something. Seriously, we are not foul-mouth folks and cleaned things up quite a bit when she became verbal, but it slipped once when I stub my toe and has suddenly become her word of choice. Of course she picked the first time to say it in church when she dropped something. We keep explaining that it is not an appropriate word and whatnot but I don't think she gets it. I guess time-out will come next...? Moms/Parents/Anyone, suggestions?
• Did I mention the lovely holiday I had with Mr. T and great conference I attended? :)

Will hopefully be able to take some time (tomorrow hopefully) to see what everyone has been up too and elaborate on a few things I've mentioned. 

Breaking out of grading prison tomorrow, so until then...

Oh, Stu...

What do I do with you?!?

I have 23 students in my class and of those 23 students, 22 of them have been rockstars of the responsible nature. These 22 alert me when they are going to miss class so they can make up work, they have wonderful ideas (even if I have to pry sometimes), they turn in creative projects, they are reflective and insightful. At one point, 1 of the 22 was slacking a bit so I inquired and haven't since had any problems. In fact this one stu has been on top of things. They are freshman and sophomores so I am having to remind them that they are college students and that they are responsible for their own learning, that it is okay not to be perfect, that I am not going to tell them if their work is correct before they turn it in when they have a handy checklist and rubric included in the instructions, and so on. But overall, I've been very pleased with their work and their ability to take my feedback and learn from it. They have their moments, but don't we all, and I guess (from talking to others that have taught kids of this generation) that their parents did a lot for them (checking homework?!?!), and they expect that now. Breaking this mold is hard but maybe I can put a crack in the mold and help them to stand on their own two feet.

Notice that I said I have 23 students and 22 of them are rockstars. What about the 1 Stu? Well, I wouldn't know because Stu hasn't shown up for class in two weeks (and missed 3 of the 5 weeks) and hasn't turned in much work. I ran into Stu at the drugstore the day after missing class last week.  Stu claims Stu was sick. Stu said that Stu had another doctors appointment during class this week (I wanted to ask why Stu booked an appointment during class when I know that the campus health center is flexible and it doesn't take a week to get a follow-up- and Stu could go before class or the day before I'm sure - I go there!). I was polite, told Stu to get better and that Stu needed to bring in a valid excuse and email me about making up the test from last week). Did I expect to get that email? No. Why? Let me explain:

1. Stu missed day one - it is mandatory to attend on the first day and if you don't you get dropped automatically. I dropped Stu. Stu asked to be added back into the class. I emailed the proper people to handle this and told Stu to be on Stu's way. Stu's excuse for missing was that Stu added the class right at class-time and didn't want to interrupt... I gave Stu the benefit of the doubt.
2. Including the first day, Stu has missed two more classes. We have class once a week for 3 hours. After three absences, your grade gets deducted. Haven't decided if I'm counting the first day as an absence, although I'm not sure it will make a difference. We had tests on two of those days. Make-ups aren't allowed without a valid excuse. Also Stu didn't turn in two projects for those days. They have to turn in projects before class via the LMS so it was possible for Stu to complete and turn in the project assignments online. 
3. We have weekly reflection assignments...Stu has only completed the one that we worked on in class. We've had 5 and Stu has done 1 of them. I emailed Stu after missing the first one to make sure Stu understood they were weekly reflections and wanted to know if Stu had any questions. Never heard back. 
4. So Stu has only turned in the assignments and tests we completed IN class - the rest he's skipped.

So right now Stu has many zeros. Stu has had the opportunity to provide valid excuses and make the effort to complete the work. If Stu would have contacted my when Stu was ill then I probably would have allowed make-up without the excuse. But that was two classes ago and Stu can't use the excuse that Stu couldn't contact me because there are computers on campus and Stu was holding a Blackberry when I ran in Stu at the store. 

So before class this week, I, being the pushover nice teacher I am emailed Stu to let Stu know that the assignments were going to get zeros and that it was Stu's responsibility as a college student to arrange for this work to be made up, completed, and turned in. I asked if Stu was getting my emails since I hadn't gotten responses to any of them. I am using Stu's university email, which is required and no other students are having problems getting the messages. I gave Stu the chance to say, I'll turn it in tomorrow and get the late penalty but low and behold, I haven't heard back from Stu. 

I hate to have a student failing the class, especially when there are so many opportunities for success in the class. I am open to flexibility so this drives me nuts. I have idea if Stu is sick or getting my emails or what is happening. Not sure what else I can do. *Sigh*

So 22 rockstar Stus and 1 missing-in-action Stu.