Today's Take Home

Paid in paper . . . these are the drafts my Thursday morning students wrote in-class this morning. It is their grand production at this end of the semester. It's an essay of self-analysis. They had to produce a paragraph explaining what they learned from the many articles they were assigned; another paragraph about what they've gain from the two books of instruction they were required to purchase and use; and then a paragraph explaining how they have developed as a student; I ask them to explain what they have invested and what they have gained. Of course, they had to compose an introductory paragraph and a concluding one. I haven't read one essay yet.

I always require my students to do at least two in-class essays each semester so that I know I am grading their essays. If I only grade work that has been done out of class, then their opportunity to cheat increases. Honestly, some students have parents who would do the writing just so their kid gets a good grade, and then the number of paper mills that sell essays is astonishing. So in-class essays help curb the cheating problem.

I will do lots of grading the next few days and then my two Tuesday classes will write their essay this coming week (they should have done them two days ago, but I wasn't feeling tiptop so I called-in sick and class was cancelled).

The 17th is always a good day, and that is true today. In my campus mail, I received my 20 year pin. I'll blip it soon. A month ago all of us who were getting 5, 10 , 15, 20 25, 30, 35, and 40 year pins were invited to a celebration luncheon at the Riverside campus; that didn't quite fit my schedule so I missed it, but as of today I have my pin. I'm now finishing my 21st year at the college. The pins and the celebration are always awarded a year after the event (makes no sense to me--but what do I know). So that is my big news today.

Good night from Southern California.
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol

P.S. The Queen of Disco died today -- Donna Summer. Born Dec. 31, 1948 she was 63 and taken from us entirely too soon by lung cancer.

P.P.S. I came home this afternoon feeling like I am getting a sinus head cold (yuck). I've been "burning the candle at both ends" and I'm exhausted and I think that makes me more susceptible to whatever germs are lurking. So this evening I went to Jamba Juice to order a double shot of wheatgrass and I'm planning to get to bed early.

P.P.P.S. Tomorrow FaceBook becomes a public commodity. I'd really like to purchase some of their stock. I don't think our financial advisor would second that motion.