Abstract

Remember the mysterious cedar block installation that HD was working on in the back yard? Well, he didn’t get far before the weather got impossibly hot, so he will continue working on it in the fall. For now, It provides me with a photo opportunity, and Copper with a photobomb opportunity; see the extra.

Gave my summer students a test today. As the course content is very dense, and summer class meets 5 days a week, every day for 2 hours a day, for about 4 weeks, I know that they have a tough time studying for the tests. There just isn’t enough time. Therefore, the tests are open notes/book. I have never done this before, so I was a bit nervous what will happen.
A few students did not prepare for the first test, thinking they can just look stuff up in the book while taking the exam. It didn’t work. I ask them to apply the knowledge, not to write down the definitions. On the other hand, the students who studied like for any other test did fine, and had a bit of a confidence boost knowing that if they stumble they can look a thing or two up. Test two was better, but a few students still blew off the studying, as they begrudgingly admitted when they received their grades. Today’s was test #3. Almost everybody finished with time to spare, and they were smiling when turning the tests in. I may be onto something!