Yesterday was tiring. (I guess most of the days I am at the school are tiring, but anyway...).

A student, who shall remain nameless, *cough* Shaun Harris *cough* really really bombed the midterm I gave my Intro. to Philosophy class. The review for the test (given a week in advance) consisted of 7 essay questions that I would choose 4 of come test day. The class had the exact questions that I would be asking. They knew exactly what they needed to study for.

Mr. Harris answered only 2 of the four questions. And his two answers were not even close to covering what he needed to say. Yet, just as everyone else, he was given the entire 2 hour period to complete the exam. He turned it in not 15 minutes into the class.

I had no choice but to give him a failing grade on the thing... which I didn't enjoy doing, and in fact, angered me because of his lack of effort...sigh...

So, anyway, yesterday the class had 7 page reports due on a subject of their choosing. Of the 27 students in the class, only 2 did not turn in the report. Mr. Harris and 1 other. When I spoke with him after class, I told him that he had until the end of the semester to turn it in but it would lose 1 letter grade per class period late. He basically shrugged it off and said "K', thanks".

I see it as disrespectful to me when a student puts in so little effort, after I have put in so much effort to teach them. (Yeah, I know. That's very selfish of me to think). The other student who didn't turn in the paper had it in my box this morning.

Shaun has two chances to pull out his grade; 1. getting his paper done soon, and well. 2. He needs to bust his ass and do well on the final exam. I do also reserve the right to adjust a student's grade up to 10% based on attitude. If they have put in the effort, and have really tried, even the poorest grades can pass my class (barely, but they pass). Shaun needs to really show me something these last few weeks. I really don't want to fail him...