So far this Fall, I’ve been pretty good at keeping my grades up-to-date. However, after the last major project my students turned in, I’ve fallen behind.
Look, I know this happens. We want to give fast feedback to our students, but sometimes life gets in the way. No matter what though, students depend on that feedback. It can help them improve their assignments, and in my class – it can help them improve their presentations by being aware of things they’re doing right (and wrong) so they can get better.
We can’t yell at students about not getting their work done on time when we aren’t prompt at getting grades done. But we should know that when our lives get complicated as instructors, and we can’t get the grading done – it’s up to us to do one thing – take responsibility.
So today, I put aside my pride and admitted to my students that I didn’t have their grades updated and it wouldn’t be until the end of the week. However, in exchange for their patience, I’m giving them 10 bonus points. It’s not much, but at the end of class one student asked me, “Can you tell other instructors to do what you’re doing?” I think they appreciated that I owned up to my problem in getting the grading done.
In a way, I like to think I’m demonstrating something important – I’m owning up to my mistake in not having the work done and admitting it.
In graduate school, I turned in an assignment in January and it wasn’t graded until mid-March. I get the frustration of waiting for your grades to be done. I’m only a few days behind right now, but that’s not the point. They expect their grades back, and rightfully so. All I can do is try to make it right as much as possible.
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