08 April 2011

Filed my taxes. Now it's time to grade papers.

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One of my students, miffed by the 73% she got on her paper, e-mailed me explaining that she needed a 3.0 GPA in order to qualify for law school next year, and would I pleasepleaseplease grant her an incomplete so she could rewrite her essay?

I said no. Mostly because she had copied a lot, and the C I gave her was generous compared to what I usually do. (Yes, I know that was a sentence fragment, but it's my blog, and I'll write as I wish.) Frankly, from what I saw, the girl's not law school material.

I used to think it was merciful to grant such requests. Now I think it's the opposite. You're doing lazy students no favors by encouraging their lethargy. If they get a bad grade, they can suffer through it; they'll survive. Oftentimes it's the kick in the pants they need to improve. And the ones who give up because of a few disappointing grades don't belong in academics anyway.

But back to the point. Grading is purgatory for writers. I hate it. But I need the money.