Almost any term, there is a day, a moment maybe, in which I lose the will to go on working. I think the moment has arrived. Beorn's birth-daughter has been visiting all weekend, Saturday was a friend's 50th birthday party, and the grading load has been ridiculous. Last Thursday I gave a mini-lecture in the class I'm TAing and then Friday a presentation to faculty on how I use technology in the classes I TA.
Most days I like being a TA. I usually like the professors I work with. Often though, I'm frustrated with instructors that don't talk to their TAs about plans for the class or let us look over the assignment prompts before they hand them out.
I'm so tired of grading at this point it's not funny. Yesterday I read 20+ essays. I should read another 20+ tonight. By Saturday night I need to grade another 50+ take-home essay exams. The grading load for this course has been insane. Bleck!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
It's time to hate being a TA
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Two good things and one bad
Bad news first:
I'm spending my weekend grading exams. These are essays, so each one takes a while.
Good news:
1. I found out this week that at least one of the PhD programs I applied to wants me. They said I was "on top of their list", or something like that. They offered me three years of guaranteed teaching fellowships, which I think is the best they have to offer.
2. Pineapple guava jam is good. Beorn and I made some last winter and now I'm enjoying it on buttered toast.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Up to my neck in grading
Saturday I spent the morning at a local trade conference and the afternoon at a dissertation writing workshop. The writing workshop was actually very good and maybe I'll blog some of the advice here later. But all this meant that I got no grading done and the papers need to be turned back by Tuesday. It's really difficult to read 20 essays and think of original comments when they all have the same general problems. 20 more tomorrow and I'll be done.
Why is grading so unpleasant? Do some people like grading? Does the fact that I find it so unpleasant mean that I'm not meant to be a professor? If the students were different in some way would it be more fun? If I were different would it be more fun?
Now I have to sleep.
