Somehow, I managed to plan so poorly this term that on my desk now sits 80-something essays that need to be read and evaluated by next week (40-something literary analysis essays on Huck Finn; 40-something argument analysis essays).
Clearly, I wasn’t thinking.
I’ve just finished alphabetizing them to see who submitted them on time (of the 15 or so students who have not submitted assignments, some have been MIA for 2 weeks; others e-mailed me blank or funky, unopenable attachments; and one poor soul handed me his flash drive to prove that he has his assignment done but was unable to print it).
I decided before I left for the evening I’d read one lit essay, just for kicks. And, in what I hope is a good sign, it’s a fabulous essay: a mostly well written, well supported argument about the humanity of Jim that also refutes several of the objections that were raised during class discussion.
I feel a little less stressed already.
On a lighter note (and a possible assignment for our next discussion on The Awakening):
From the Mixed Up Bloggings of Annie Em 
Wow. I get stressed out when I get fifty essays at a time! Eighty just sounds overwhelming. I am glad they seem to be of good quality, though. My high school students just discussed Chopin (Desiree’s Baby and Story of an Hour), and the discussion was surprisingly insightful. For whatever reason, it seems like high schoolers connect with turn of the century writing in a way they don’t connect with other periods.
next time we’ll just shoot you. let us know, send up the little white flag *before* you give assignments from hell.
gotta love the “can’t print my paper” stu.
since you’re up to your eyeballs already, i’ll wrap a valium lick in bubble wrap and send it via Super-Pigeon.
I’m stitching up the white flag now. Sigh.
Are pigeons FAST?
That cartoon is great.
And you have my condolences re: the essays. Eeeeeeeek!
All those papers = not fun, but what a cartoon! Ishmael’s “not so much now” would have to be about 5 twitter posts long, though, with a couple of whale digressions thrown in.
Many whale digressions;-)
Down to 45 papers. Sigh. At least, so far, they are mostly good!