A Mantra for Midterms

They feel even more overwhelmed and behind than we do
They feel even more overwhelmed and behind than we do
They feel even more overwhelmed and behind than we do
They feel even more overwhelmed and behind than we do

Keeping this in mind won't work with every student (it doesn't do much good, for instance, with those who are inclined to project their insecurities outward into accusations, e.g.  Bella's Amber or Greta's shrill little one-note bird).   But when I'm feeling horribly behind, and fearing that every class, conversation, and/or email will carry a complaint that I'm taking an unreasonable amount of time to grade things (a complaint with which, at this point in the semester, I often at least half-agree), it helps to remember that chances are good that the approaching student may well be feeling at least as overwhelmed and apologetic as I am.

This has been a public service announcement. You may now resume your regularly scheduled grading, prep, committee work and/or drinking.

Notes

Last week, I was presenting my freshmen comp students with examples of how to organize their comparison/contrast essay.  I wrote a couple of detailed outlines on the board, illustrating methods they might choose, with examples. 

About halfway through, I noticed that most of them were just staring at me.  There I was, showing them step by step on the board exactly how to organize their papers, which are worth fifteen percent of their final grade, and they were just looking at me, all glassy-eyed. 

I paused for a moment, then said, "You realize that I'm not just doing this for my heath, don't you?  I'm showing you how to organize your essay. I told you when we started class that you'll need to understand and refer to this template when you start writing it."

More staring.  I put the chalk down.

"Why aren't you guys taking notes?  Do you expect to just remember this a week from now, both of the organizational templates I’m presenting, as well as the examples of how to organize the interior paragraphs?"

All of a sudden there was rustling, a flurry of activity, notebooks being opened, etc.  Some students were obviously doing this because everyone else was, but some looked a bit sheepish.