Thursday, December 06, 2007

Celebratory grading?!

So I'm grading take-home exams that I received yesterday from my 70+ first-year students. Two essay questions asking them to make broad, theoretical connections across texts.

I am so pleased!!! They're doing a fantastic job. They really get it, many of them. More than that, they know how to put into practice, how to "do things with" what they've learned in the course. What a heartening feeling. Granted, I am only grading one of the two questions, while the TA is grading the other (harder) one, but still, there is proof here that the course has been an intellectual success, at least. Hurrah! Who'd have thought I'd love my first-years so much??

Coming soon: Leaving for Home City on Saturday (surely there will be exclamatory posts surrounding that event), overall reflections on teaching this term, and thoughts on assignment design for my courses for next term.

3 comments:

moria said...

Oh, wonderful! Wonderful, wonderful -- I would say "lucky you," except that it's not luck at all, is it. It's a direct product of your teaching - well done! Pat yourself on the back, and (yes) go have a glass of wine.

Belle said...

Oh, that's wonderful. Congrats and have that wine and blot out the coming whines coming from the south. That will be me, wondering what happened...

Hilaire said...

Thx, Neophyte - yes, I feel I did well, I have to say. And they were really engaged, too. Hurrah!

No wine for me this week - I am trying to not feed an infection that LOOOOVES alcohol - but also, no more whining! I'm tired of myself whining on here.

But, Belle - I am not tired of others talking about their irritations. Bring it on!