Amazed, Proud, Disappointed, and Defended

I am amazed that I have students who will get up in the middle of class and walk out for no apparent reason. I guess when there is no reading response due (I ask for them at the end) or when they feel the discussion is not enlightening enough for them, they just leave. I think three or four of them left on Thursday, so I told everybody else to get out some paper and we wrote for credit. Maybe that was mean of me, but I just couldn't believe that students would leave without warning or apologies. I guess this is another instance of: "They are not you!"

I am somewhat proud of how many of my students turned in revised essays. Ten of them did this, and they did improve their writing. I hope that they feel they learned something from it, because that was the point of me allowing them to do so. A few of them were probably hoping for an A, but really did not improve too much so they received 5 point or so grade increases, but most of them did an excellent job and earned much better grades. This was especially the case for my student who went to the writing center and was told to compare and contrast in her first draft of the essay.

I am disappointed that one of my students did not revise. He is an older man and a refugee from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. I really wanted to see him turn in a better essay and have the opportunity to revise, but he told me that he just did not have time. This saddened me, but I guess the choice is ultimately up to him. We did, however, connect over piano. He is apparently taking lessons at Weber for the first time in his life. We talked for a few minutes after class about classical piano and his desires and goals in music.

I am surprised at how much the students actually like me. I know, this sounds conceited, but it is funny how they defend me or greet me so kindly outside of class. When we talked about the car salesman Bob Golomb who treated every customer the same and therefore made more sales, we started sharing stories of times when we had been misjudged by salespeople. I told them about how I visited an Ivory Homes subdivision when my husband and I were building our house. The salesman there told me that I was too young and did not have enough money to afford to build there. I just laughed this experience off and left, knowing that I was already building a house somewhere else and that I had only been there for decorating ideas. Anyway, the students were shocked and appalled. One of them said that I should have printed out my bank statements and gone back to show the man, and others said that I should've told him off. It was funny to see how defensive they were of this silly experience. I felt as if they liked me enough to show this defense and I also felt it showed how young and stupid they are (and how I used to be).

I am really enjoying my students. Yes, they miss class, turn in assignments late, leave without warning, roll their eyes, fall asleep, make smart remarks, and try to get away with B.S., but overall they are an enjoyable group. I am happy to know them, and I feel a strong desire to help them succeed.