Grading In-class essays

I am absolutely exhausted. Two weeks ago my students (all 100 of them) wrote in-class essays. Just this evening I have finished reading, commenting, and putting a score on them. I am so tired.

These students have produced poorly written drafts. I know they are not stupid; they are average students in a basic skills-level class (actually I teach four sections of the course). I know that the instructions were clearly stated and clearly written, and they discussed since the first week of the semester (the drafts were written on Week 9). What I think has happened is that they've never had a teacher during their high school days who read student essays word-for-word. So they did not put in much effort. Here at the college, the English faculty really do read student essays, every word.

Last weekend while we were at the Central Coast, I was determined NOT to spend much time grading, so all I did was grade a quiz students had taken last week where they had to write the 8 Comma Rules -- and just grading that was a pain.

But my incentive the past couple of days has been to have a weekend without any grading hanging over my head. I think I have accomplished that. What a relief!

So here's my thoughts in a photo.

Good night from Southern Calufornia,
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol