Saturday Grading

I just finished grading notebooks. I go to the library to do this because it's easier for me to stay focused there than when I'm at home. With a few notable exceptions, the scores were low. Only a third of the students in my 2nd period turned theirs in. This batch of 11th graders we have this year are at best minimalists, at worst gross underachievers.

Of course, with the attendance so low at NCLB testing on Weds and Thurs, they were pulling the no-shows out of class on Fri to make numbers. Still, only 3 left my class when they heard the announcement.

It can be discouraging. I look at their grades, and there are so many F's. The thing is, they don't seem to care. They've got another year before graduation. That's plenty of time to re-take US History. And "everybody knows Night School is easier." (Real quote.)

The seniors are a different story. They're divided between those who are set to graduate in May and are going to let a 1 semester Economics class pull down their GPA (I have their valedictorian in 6th period), those who are set to graduate in May and figure they can take it easy and still pass with a D, and those who are ditching the majority of each week and will start freaking out around May Day when it's too late.

Extra credit for them is extra work for me. If they won't do the regular work, I'm not rewarding them with something special.