#essay grading

[shieldmaidenofsherwood]

Trying to grade some of the more confused high-school English essays like

[shieldmaidenofsherwood]

Contemplating writing "The parts you got from [Student 1] and [Student 2] are bad but the parts you did yourself are worse" on this third copied essay I'm grading.

[arrybones]

Student writes a decent essay which is 1000+ words over the 1500 word limit, even taking into account the 10% leeway we’ve given them. 

Student emails to complain the 20% penalty applied (-10% per 500 words over) is too harsh. Me, knowing that penalties for some of my previous coursework ranged between -5% per 10% over to -1% per 1% over. 

Seriously, while I appreciate their interest in the topic, the limit exists for a reason, and its not fair to those who stuck to the limit when this student has ignored the rules and written a whole 2/3 of another essay worth of content. I could have just stopped marking at 1500 words and they’d have ended up with the same grade.

[lovecatkel]

Venting About Teacher Stuff

I’m grading essays right now and I’m SOOOOO frustrated with some of my fifth period students. 

WHY DID I SPEND HOURS and HOURS of MY PERSONAL TIME making comments on essay drafts (trying to give meaningful feedback), only to read THE SAME EXACT DRAFT without any revisions turned in as the final draft. 

COOL. Ignore my suggestions and get a crap grade. 

I wouldn’t be so annoyed if it was just a student here or there, but I’ve read about SIX that did this. From a class of 33, that’s 18% of students who wasted BOTH of our time. 

From here on out for essays, I’m going to make them sign up on a sheet to have me read and comment on drafts. There’s no way I’m doing ANOTHER time sink like that for students who don’t want and won’t use my feedback. 

[apandemia]

Excerpts from my former students' essays

"People try and live the best possible life they can through what ever makes them happy, then they die, its the circle of life."

"Exonerated victims should receive compensation. Compensation should be a right that exonerated victims should have after being in prison for something that they did not do."

"It is true that Columbus is the first true Western European person to arrive but are we supposed to disregard Indians as the true settlers?  The answer is yes in the government’s eyes; Native Americans all over the country from the days of Plymouth Rock to the incident at Oglala have been shit on by the legislation of law and racism.  The incident at Oglala is one shrouded in confusion and two sides of the story."

"If that is the case I am deeply disappointed that it has become a 'race issue' and the view of that Brown was shot due to him being african american (sic). No, he was shot due to not respecting authority."

[i-mho]

[everyfiredies]

Oh essay grading, I have not missed you.

Sittin' on the couch. Surrounded by essays, speech outlines, and rubrics. Pandora Black Keys radio station playing.

My dog is stubbornly sitting in my lap. It's her act of defiance. 

"No, essays, you will NOT take my comfy spot!"

So I set the essays on her back and continue grading. 

I'm convinced the Sundays lost to grading essays are why we have summer vacation. The Sundays we put our personal life aside. The Sundays I say, "I'll go for a run if I get these essays graded."

Though I'm working on going for a run regardless of essay status. I mean really, what's more important.

And that's the question teachers grapple with during the school year. What IS more important?

This is why we have summer vacation.