I always collect assignments at the beginning of class. I want to get that little bit of housekeeping out of the way before diving into the topic of the day. No one came in late, so I did not have deal with any late papers.
At the end of class, a student walks up to me and hands me a paper. "Is this due today?"
Huh?
This student was present when I collected the assignments. She was not working on it during class time becuase it was typed and she did not have a laptop with her. And, she never left the room during class.
Now, I could have been a total bitch and said "You know my policy, if it's not in within the first 15 minutes of class, I don't want it."
But, I just couldn't do it. I just couldn't.
I just took the paper.
Maybe, she was embarrassed. Maybe it was just a momentary lapse. Maybe the caffeine did not hit yet.
But still...
About Me
- Seeking Solace
- I am a college professor who is fumbling through the chaos of academia, rheumatoid arthritis, working on my PhD and just being a 40 something woman. I used to be a lawyer, which made me a snarky little person. I have a wonderful Husband and a German Shepherd named Junior. They help keep me sane.
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My Sister's Keeper
6 comments:
Did you remind her of your policy?
I would have taken it too, especially since it's clear she wasn't trying to use some extra time to finish it. She'd done the work, but for whatever reason spaced when it came time to hand it in.
I'm always amazed when something like this happens--I wonder just what they were doing/thinking when I was collecting stuff--and there's a part of me that wants to use the moment to teach something about listening, following directions, responsibility, but there's another part of me that says "oh well."
But I do not recall ever behaving like this when I was an undergrad.
Yes, I did remind her of the policy and that given the circumstances, I would accept it.
I don't recall doing anything even remotely close to that either.
i behaved like this. why, you ask? Am I dim? well, no. chances are I either wasn't paying very much attention or for some reason or other, I was embarrassed about turning the paper in--like, if it would have required that I stand up when other people were sitting. I recall avoiding that scenario as I was unreasonably afraid of doing it. So that might have made me slink up after class. I also might have convinced myself that everyone else was turning in something else (why? I don't know) and that I'd look stupid if I turned my paper in just then. The latter probably stems from me not paying that much attention. I don't know. Also, just plain anxiety.
k, here endeth this nostalgia tour of my adolescent brain. point being, goodness knows what this kid was thinking.
I wonder if they are so used to tuning out the sound from their computers, TVs, ipods and parents that they also tune us out...
She was probably either planning a party or remembering a hot date -- then she saw the paper in her folder and realized she'd missed something.
She' probably going to fall in love with the weird goth boy who can be counted on to repeat a question I've just answered. His most recent stunt was to ask a bunch of questions about the assignment and then not do it correctly. I really do wonder what is in their heads-- and then the possible answers scare me and I realize I shouldn't ask quesitons like that...
I have had similar situations, where the student was there, and was clearly paying attention in class, not working on the assignment, but didn't turn it in on time. I do exactly what you did.
I get this frequently. Sometimes this happens when they're just spaced out. They appear to be paying attention and their mind is just on something else. I tend to joke about it, though, and say things like, - "heh? yes, i took it up 45 minutes ago. where were you? come on!" I would've taken it, too, though. I've gotten incredibly flexible over the last year. (Well, relatively so, and flexible for me, I mean.)
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