Wednesday Update

Hi Lynn,
First, I want to thank you for venting because it is very validating to read that other instructors wrestle with this stuff. I don't blame you for seeing red! I went through a similar experience last semester. It always depresses me when students display such an immature approach to their own education. If we let them get away with it, we are enabling the dysfunctional behavior and sending the message that there will always be someone to bail them out. Your post made me realize that I'm a little softer than I should be in these situations. As I said before, it is good to work with another instructor who can help me see my own shortcomings!
I agree that these first few weeks of class are intense, but despite my illness, I am happy to be back to work! My other two classes are shaping up to be great ones. I am excited for you to be done with the HS classes and able to fully enjoy the online experience.
I read your replies to our students about how to manage the observations piece, which was good advice. I am curious to see how these projects develop. I had a thought about this element of the finals: What if we created a forum for sharing pieces of the project and asking for feedback? For example, a student could post an observation and ask for feedback about the clarity of their writing or the validity of their comments about what they observed. Overall, I see it as a way for students to gain confidence in their work. Maybe some great examples will show up and encourage more thorough observations from others. This is sort of how my Eng. comp. course works and since confidence is always an issue for our students, they might appreciate an opportunity to share. Just a thought.
Lastly, I want to thank you for understanding that I needed some down time over the last few weeks. I felt a little beat up and needed to lick my wounds for a while. I had a few difficult students, but more that, I felt a lot of stress about my dad and his needs. You were great to just let me take it easy. Even though I am physically out-of-sync right now, I am psychologically stronger for having taken a break. Thanks for recognizing my needs.
More later,
Suzanne