It's 4:37 A.M. Sunday morning and I feel like a total hypocrite. I've been up since 1:26 A.M. even though I'm constantly telling everyone -- my own kids, my students, my wife -- how important sleep is. My own trainer got it through my skull that sleep is like charging my phone. Without enough sleep, we can't do anything to our full potential. Our bodies don't compromise any more than our phones do when the screen goes black and it turns into a brick.
So what's keeping me up?
You. I can't stop thinking about how to make this semester better for you. So many of you have shared feelings about your workload, your study environment, the challenges of balancing other obligations when you're not on campus.
All of this seems big and outside our control, but that just motivates me. I want to make this better. I am absolutely awful at giving up -- if you've ever had a friend that doesn't want you to tell them the answer to the riddle because they have to figure it out for themselves, you know the type.
The payoff? I think I've *finally* figured out a way to guarantee your success in this course, and maybe even all your courses. If we get this right, you will never have to worry about your grade in this course again -- it will be as hard to get a D or F as it will be to get an A. I will put the answer right here on the blog in 24 hours -- IF I see at least 30 comments to this post by 5:00 P.M. today (Sunday). Your comment can include what you think about grading, what you think should be done differently this semester in this course or in general, or what you think about the world today, or shoes, or ice cream. I actually don't care what you write, I just care that you write. Say something about what you're thinking or feeling that makes us think or feel something. This will be valuable, so it's worth course credit, so it will offset any work that you're missing so far... see where I'm going with this?
Of course, if you do have something to say about grading, please feel free to make suggestions or ask questions in your comments. I'd like this to start a conversation, because we are all going to need to agree and make commitments. Instead of looking up at a mountain of weekly school assignments, rolling our eyes, and wishing things were different, I want us to get in the habit of making promises we can keep. Keep. Rhymes with sleep. Going to get me some before I lapse full-on into poetry. Looking forward to your thoughts.
Today I am thinking about how to win my father at chess.
ReplyDelete40 min late on posting a comment and I'm already feeling stressed lol :')
ReplyDeletean hour late but I am currently thinking how the world be like in 2 months, will it all go uphill or downhill and will lockdown still be in affect by than or will we start to slowly open up again.
ReplyDeleteTwo hours late, but I am thinking about how I might never get acrylics again.
ReplyDeleteThree hours late, but all I'm thinking is will I have enough time to do my work without the stress and still get enough beauty sleep.
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ReplyDeletewell same I'm late but right now I thinking on how I want to go back to school. I know it's crazy how students including me want to go back to school. Sometimes I feel like the pandemic had to happen to make us realize of our surroundings. We get so caught up on life problems or work that we don't notice the small details. I haven't gone out as mush but when I do somehow I admire more the beautiful city at sunset. We also needed the pandemic to happen to slow down. I myself am guilty because 8 months ago I was trying to accomplish things fast when I needed to take a break and slow down. Many people need to hear that its okay to take a break, Rome wasn't made in a day. :)
ReplyDelete3 hours late and i'm thinking about if i should get up and eat or finish all my work.
ReplyDeleteIt's almost 11:59 and i am finsihing up my assingments for the week.
ReplyDeleteI think im way too late but IDk
ReplyDeleteyeah im a day late
ReplyDeleteA day late and I regret not checking in yesterday because this makes me appreciate the teachers that choose to acknowledge the current debate about online school.
ReplyDeleteSorry for posting a day late, this example has cause me to check my emails more frequently. Also I'm glad you're taking the time on finding ways to help your student succeed
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that i'm a day late but right know i'm stressing about school work but just has some ice cream.
ReplyDeleteI'm very late, but I am thinking about my math class, my teacher always gives way too much homework, and I just feel like sometimes it isn't fair, I have other classes with other homework, and also I babysit. And what gets me the most mad is that in class he doesn't always explain the work good so me as well as other people are left confused. This class what I have a hard time with is what to post on my blog.
ReplyDeleteIm a bit early. I am thinking about my French teacher gives quite a bit of homework which sort of distracts me from being able to finish other work from other classes.
ReplyDeletevery late to this post, I finally caught up with my missing assignments i'm now stress free.
ReplyDeleteI'm very late, but now I'm up to date with all my assignments and I want to go back to school already!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for being late to this but so far I think I'm caught up with most of my work. But I do still have a few work in your class from last week that I need to finish up and work for other classes this week as well. But I hope things get easier soon for all of us.
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