I have just graded my first class’ worth of final term papers. Most of them, as is typical in community college, didn’t bother to follow instructions, and so the grades were… sub-optimal.
But I had the pleasure of grading one paper that is literally as good as I could have produced, with two graduate degrees… written by a college freshman.
So I have a new strategy for grading papers. Divvy them up, and save the best students for last. That way my liver only suffers a LITTLE damage…
Brian
/ December 6, 2007It seems like your strategy implies prejudice in your grading.
happycrow
/ December 6, 2007Brian, when you’ve graded peoples’ work all semester long, what do you think the chances are that you know who’s actually studying and who’s not?
lizardqueen
/ December 6, 2007HP: Can understand where you’re coming from. I have one colleague who refuses to teach the research paper class (Composition II) because of sub-optimal papers that simple make him angry for having his time wasted.
Good that you have some good student-writers, though.
happycrow
/ December 6, 2007And I have been pleasantly surprised by one or two who normally fail to step up entirely, as well. But ending on a high note, rather than the other way around, was definitely the way to go.