You know it's the end of the semester when masses of stupidity pile up in your mailbox & comments are just so -- out there -- that you don't know what to do with them all. One of my classes had a project due today. They have known about it since January 18th. They were told to get moving with it ages ago. The project was simple to submit: type three pages, double-spaced, size 12, and have a cover page with a picture of them doing the new activity they attempted over the last three & a half months. Four people came in today at the beginning of the class to ask for an extension. ??? The semester is over next Wednesday. To what date do you need an extension when the last 14 weeks weren't enough for you to complete said project? Another came and pointed out that she failed to include a picture of herself attemtping the activity & that she only realized this on the way to class today when she looked at the role of film she had & none of the pictures were from the roll she recently used to take the necessary pictures needed. That role was now at the 1-hour developing center & she was going to leave the picture in my mailbox. I said no. She said that was the only way the picture would be included. I pointed out that she would have to attach it to the paper herself. She pointed out that her project would then be late. I pointed out that it was incomplete anyway. Well, at 3:30 today there were four...not one but four...pictures of the student in my mailbox waiting for me to select the best one (I guess) and attach it for her. Yeah, that's not happening.
Then, the last class of the day had only 7 of 15 prepared & the other 8 just sitting there watching the clock tick time away. I pointed out that they are wasting time...their's and mine...and must have the essay in on Wednesday. No excuses. One asked me if he has to do the essay. I said that assignments are really not a "pick and choose combo plate" and that all are necessary in order to do well in the class. He said he has better things to do over the next two days. I said fine. It's not my grade on the line. Can you believe the nerve some of them have? Why do I do this? Why do I bother?
OH! Remember the thug-student who harrassed me & was to serve one week suspension and never did? The powers-that-be decided to ban him from taking summer classes & he has to serve 80 hours community service between now and September 5th. What does this have to do with harrassment? How does this rectify the situation? It doesn't. And I am not letting it go.
HELP!
Signed Desperate in Bethpage
