Thursday

Not to put up a downer of a post but I wanted to say how my day went. I didn't want to post it on my blog because I know that my students can access it. They might be able to access this one too but probably not as easily. Today was supposed to be a great day, and for the most part, it was. I finished grading my students' papers, studied for my final, put the finishing touches on my final paper, etc. Today was the day when all of it would end.
Things started out great with my final. It was open book, open note, open whatever we wanted to use. I had gmail pulled up when Scott started chatting with me to tell me his LSAT score. Let's just say, it's really good and we're so excited. It should help us have a better shot at some of the schools we'd like to attend but I guess we'll se around March/April. After that news I was so excited but was still able to finish my final.
I then had a final left to give to my students. Preparing an exam, I have learned, is much more difficult than it seems. You want to make the test fair yet you want it to make the students put forth effort as well. We were in a different room than I usually lecture in because the school had double booked our room. We were thus in a room of about forty seats, but in the style of stadium seating. I felt that all had gone well and as the last student went to leave I quickly checked my email. There I found two sad and disappointing emails.
The first one was from a student informing me that he/she had seen a few students cheating. Because of the stadium seating, they had laid their textbooks open at their feet where I couldn't see them, plus he/she stated that the cheating students were also peering at others' work.
The second email was from a freshman student who has had difficulties with school this semester. He/she hadn't done as well as he/she had wanted and expressed his/her sadness and frustration. What I wanted to inform him/her is that a C+ in one class, though not desirable is also not the end of the world. I've gotten a couple of C's and let's face it... they suck, but life goes on.
My biggest disappointment though was the whole cheating thing. I'm sad that I was naive enough to trust that my students wouldn't do such a thing. I also am sad that I don't know who those students were. I am hoping that the student who emailed me will email me their names. Other than that, there isn't much I can do.
So instead of coming home and being super happy for Scott and our future, I came home saddened by the way the final I gave went and just sad in general. I'll bounce back I know. I'm sure I just need to go to sleep. I'm glad though that I won't be teaching again next semester.