At the large university where I work, I am currently teaching two large sections of a popular course. We have 902 exams to grade by noon this morning.
Last night, six of us instructors were holed up in the commons room, grading stack after stack of the exams.
Occasionally, someone would laugh and show us a student's amusing way to get zero points. (Yup, after about exam 478 we find that stuff amusing.)
The woman grading kitty-corner from me is a high school teacher, visiting my university for a couple of years to train future teachers.
After one good laugh at an exam by a student who obviously hadn't been attending, and who had clearly blown off the exam, she commented: "That's the difference between high school and university right there."
"What's that?" We all wondered.
"In high school, if that student gets a zero, it's MY fault. Our test scores go way down. Our school is labeled as struggling. It's published in the paper. We lose money. They track it back to my class. My student. My fault. At the university, we can laugh, because it's THEIR fault," and she grinned broadly.
"Their fault," I heard her muttering and smiling, all evening long. "Their fault."
I love my job.
4 comments:
because once you turn 18 you get to become accountable for your actions as an adult :)
So funny!
My freshman haven't figured out that they don't need my permission to get a drink or use the restroom.
I love it. And when they bring me notes from home from their mothers, I just look at them and softly say, "We're not in high school anymore. You get four absences. Use them wisely."
Love this!
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