An end of semester reflection

I cannot tell you the number of times over the past semester that I’ve thought to myself, “I am not going to do this next time.”

My teaching schedule, class discipline, participation grades, quizzes in class, giving students their grades, my syllabus, I’ve thought that about all these things.

In the past, I’ve wanted to change how I’ve done a particular thing. But, usually in the past, the person this has had the greatest effect on is me. When the academic future of 133 students is partially affected as well, the odds feel a little higher to me. Until now, until I had to write down (in red pen) whether a student is passing or failing my class, I’m mainly felt like I’m just making it all up. Just playing school four days a week.

What my students have yet to figure out is that this semester was a learning experience not just for them.