I should be grading papers right now. But I'm not. This is the part of teaching I hate, not just dislike, really, sincerely loathe. I don't mind giving the grade, I hate justifying it, telling them why they didn't get the A they are sure they deserved. What I would like to tell them is that their paper sucked and they were lucky to get the grade they did. But I can't. And I really wouldn't even if I could. But trying to tell them nicely why their paper isn't good is hard. Trying to give them the constructive criticism they need takes energy and creativity and on paper number 30 I am out of reasons and energy and I find myself starting to repeat what I said on paper number 5. And at 3 a.m. that seems like the best idea I've had all night.
So, at the beginning of another night that will ultimately end in the wee hours of the morning, I am putting off the grading as long as I can. Instead I am watching 'The Forgotten' because I think Christian Slater is hot. And because I like to figure out the plot before Jeff does. I do every time. There's a strange satisfaction in it. If only grading could be so satisfying.
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Hence one of the reasons I do NOT teach English... And one of the reasons I have students correct one another's work most of the time. Lazy lazy lazy. If only I could do that with my internet correcting. Some of these assignments I have been staring in the face for nine years now. Crazy.
Hence the fact that I am now looking at Facebook and blogs and contemplating painting my bathroom....
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