threestares

Sometimes, with what we do, we simply cannot assess every thing that we assign for our charges. On more than one occasion, feeling overwhelmed, I have simply given credit where credit was due as a pass/fail or even simply recycled the materials that were turned in. I think that there is nothing wrong with doing that. We are humans too, and we need to take care of ourselves, including our mental health, first and foremost. Do not ever allow the amount of assessing that you have to do (or that you feel you must do) drive you down, because if you do, you're not doing yourself or them any favors. Take a deep breath, and simply pitch some of it into the recycle bin.

That's absolutely right. We feel like we're on some noble quest, and they're trying to get some cheap pot between classes and get a date for Friday at lunch. We are important, they just don't realize it for years, if at all. From now until the end of the session, I recommend that you try to have some fun with your charges. Teach them a little bit about comedy or humor in literature or even film. Teach them a bit about irony and satire, and then, most importantly, let them write some of their own and share it with the class. You need something to laugh about, and someone to laugh with.

Speaking of which: A man was shopping for produce in the grocery store when he spotted a beautiful woman examining the fresh lettuce. As he slowly approached, she looked up, made eye contact with him and smiled.
"Hey, I know you," she said, "You're the father of one of my kids." His jaw dropped and his mind raced. When? When had he been unfaithful to his wife?
He stammered "My bachelor party" as the realization hit him. "I'm so sorry, I was pretty drunk that night, and it's been so long. Were you the one that was whipping me with the celery or the one with the leather saddle?"
She blushed and said, "I'm your son's English teacher."

He's trying to warn his readers about taking his theme the wrong way.

I hope spring is finally coming up there and is bringing you some measure of relief...

Yes. It's almost as if he's showing us someone who accepted his theme or his message, but did so in a selfish way. He wants us to look at what we already have to find joy in it, but to not do it in an exclusionary or self-centered fashion.

I've heard that winters on the Canadian Prairie are long and heartless. If only I could send you some cheer.

On the other hand, we did get 4 inches of snow on Monday, here in the armpit of the states.

Hmmm..... Hmmmm...
Joy...

One of Haruki Murakami's characters used "shoveling snow" as a metaphor for having sex.

I like to imagine that's what you mean.

Eek - sorry!

Amen sister

i'm auight how you doin'?

On the other end of the extreme, I feel a terrific urge to scream. I'm starting to understand why teachers always seem so stressed out.

Every body is different.
Barbados?

Fantastic.
Damn economy. I blame Americans.
Canadian SGs are quite beautiful down to the last one. It must be all the cool air.