This is the longest I have ever taken to get my work done at the end of the semester. There are 4 more papers to grade in one class and an Incomplete flap to take care of in the other before I can turn in grades, plus the e-lumen ratings I never got around to when I was supposed to have done them. And the house inspector thinks we are coming this morning when we are not. We cannot get the pilot light turned on because they sent instructions too late for us to manage it.
Meanwhile, it has been pouring rain, and is supposed to continue for much of this week. That is very unusual for us, or at least, for most of the year. In winter, anything can happen, but rain can be so unusual the rest of the year that one's umbrellas rot from disuse. Sometimes I take them out to use in the first rain, and they are defunct! I have to go buy new ones. And people have a problem driving in the rain because they are so unused to it. Somehow, the car slides about because of poor drainage, and on a crowded road, obviously, this is a problem.
I had to fail that student I have written about a while back, the one who threatens to go to the dean. He was emailing me frantically for weeks, and so despite the fact that he sent his draft late, and I usually won't look at people's drafts if they do that, I commented quite a bit (a page and a half of end-comments) on his, hoping he could revise and pass and we'd be spared the hassle I was sure would follow his failure. But despite that, and a peer's bulldog-comments (far sharper than mine, and just as accurate), he didn't do it. I have to fail him, so here goes my break.
5 comments:
I hope this one student's problems don't take up too much of your time. Many students threaten to go to the Dean, and in eleven years of teaching at IVC and UCI I can only think of one student who actually did. And that was an ESL student who was desperately trying to stay in a class he was obviously not qualified for--and the department chair and the Dean did everything they could to talk him out of staying.
As for grade challenges--I had threats, but no one actually went to challenge the grade. I know it happens, but I also know that the college respects your teaching and grading, and if the student does challenge the grade, he will probably lose.
Please, please don't stress too much over this! I know the IVC staff is very supportive of you. And, it seems to me that you bent over backwards to help this student. You did all you could.
I know I believe in you, and I'm rooting for you! And, of course, I'd like to see you get back to happier things--like the house and the holidays and getting some actual rest!
Thank you Robin. I have had students challenge my grades, and generally, it came out okay for me. But this student is a borderline stalker. He makes me very nervous, and when he finds out he didn't pass, I'm sure he will do everything he can to make life hell for me. Well, I'm ready for it, I guess.
I need some actual rest. I have been very very emotionally strained this year, and that is telling on me.
It's not your problem now. You made the call, accurately it seems, and now it should go to the next higher authority--a chair, I should imagine. Who will know doubt back you up. Worry not! Give your worry to someone else to hold.
It doesn't do any good to worry Marly, so I shall endeavor not to do it.
Wow! Sorry to hear you may have a student stalker! And I always thought actual stalkers were pretty rare. Maybe I'm just too naive, or uninformed these days.
I'm sure the campus police or security can handle stalkers, but let's hope he doesn't go that far! The dean or the department chair may have some ideas for you as well.
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