I Cannot Grade

Shhh. Don't tell my students. I cannot grade. Thankfully, I only have two teaching days left and then I'm back to my simple, wonderful librarian job.

It's not that I don't want to grade. Or that I don't think it is important. I really think that it is a matter of self confidence. I really doubt that I am an authority on poetry (that's what I've been grading lately). AND the other issue is that sometimes I start changing the student's work to say what I think it should say. Truly awful! It's just that I know how I would like it to sound when I read it, and I don't always have a reason why it should be changed.

Now, it's not all horrible. There are sometimes that I feel like I'm really helping a student. That's a cheerful prospect.

I think that if I had it my way, I would edit with the student, not just sit and read the paper by myself, but there is the great limiting factor of time-- so often my enemy.

Anyways, since my teaching time is drawing to a close, this is an issue (my inability to grade) that I can analyze and work at changing during my time in my new Mommy role.

I cannot believe that little man is coming soon. Almost a month away. There's much to be done, but I know that it will turn out just fine. At least I won't be giving or receiving grades for labor, delivery, and life with two little ones. Just tears and hugs. Ups and downs. Real, tangible stuff.

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