My new banner is doing pretty well. This is what it looks like, if you have not yet seen it.When it's finished running I will be out of banners. That's okay. I can always buy more and support Diaryland if I really want to.

Anyways, I finished grading the quizzes from yesterday. Most actually did not do too bad, since I gave them five points for heading their papers correctly and it was only a 10 point quiz. One point for each correct answer, half a point for almost-correct answers. I was very generous with the half-points. Some actually got 4 out of the 5 questions right.

Some actually did not head their papers properly. Amazing. I'm at a loss with that one. Let me explain. On the wall in the front of the room (next to the board) is a poster that looks like a sheet of notebook paper. I have written on it:

Name
Date
Class

with "Name" on the top line in the right-hand corner. As if that's not enough, on the board next to it, I have written "Head your paper like this" with an arrow pointing to the poster. In addition, under that I wrote:

First name Last name
Date
Language Arts - 1

Before every class, I change the number to the appropriate class period.

This information has been there since school started two weeks ago. Everyday I say "This is how you head your paper. Make sure you head your paper properly." Yesterday before the quiz, I said "Make sure you head your paper properly. If you do not head your paper properly on this quiz and anything else from now on, I will take off 5 points. It is worth 5 points of this quiz." Or something like that, if not those exact words. I'd say about 20% of them still did not get it right. I cannot give them any more help than that without actually writing it for them. Where did these kids come from? That is not because of any kind of language barrier. They can see. And this was not even my ESOL classes. Most of them were from the regular class and have spoken English all their lives. They just do not know how to follow directions.

Wow, I've been writing long entries lately. I just go off ranting and raving and get carried away. I'll be okay, really. I just have to get used to this. It's just not acceptable to me. I have to teach these kids they cannot get away with putting forth no effort. I'll be the credit-nazi (for all the Seinfeld watchers).

"No credit for you!"

last - next

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