As I sit here with five folders in front of me, facing the afternoon's work, I am struggling as usual with how to assess the work of each student. Because I teach small classes, I know each student fairly well; that's good, and that's bad. If I could give a good multiple choice test for writing, have a standard correction sheet, and grade accordingly, they would each feel they were treated fairly. In writing, however, it's different.
Each student begins the semester with their own level of expertise. For some , the work in my class challenges that level; for some, it's a breeze. The B that one student struggles for is the one another student earns with no work at all. I try to challenge good students and grade with some knowledge of each student's abilities, but it still becomes a chore at the end of the semester.
And there's the expectations. They got As and Bs in high school--why not in college? Why are commas important here when they weren't in high school? "What do you mean my sentences don't flow?" "I DID look this up on balancedpolitics.org" (which is, of course, not balanced). "What do you mean this doesn't make sense. My Mom said it was good!"
So I am struggling. Pray for me.
Mrs. B
Each student begins the semester with their own level of expertise. For some , the work in my class challenges that level; for some, it's a breeze. The B that one student struggles for is the one another student earns with no work at all. I try to challenge good students and grade with some knowledge of each student's abilities, but it still becomes a chore at the end of the semester.
And there's the expectations. They got As and Bs in high school--why not in college? Why are commas important here when they weren't in high school? "What do you mean my sentences don't flow?" "I DID look this up on balancedpolitics.org" (which is, of course, not balanced). "What do you mean this doesn't make sense. My Mom said it was good!"
So I am struggling. Pray for me.
Mrs. B
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