Wow–I just received what I think might be my first ever student complaint about a grade.  It seems that can’t be the case, but I don’t remember another.  Ironically this upset student received a “B-” on the essay–not easy to achieve on ones first college English paper.  If this person had only had her work graded by many of the other instructors in the department who actually have difficult to achieve standards.  I’m easy from what I hear–maybe not entirely “easy” but certainly not worse than middle of the road in my expectations of students.

At any rate, I met students in the library today, hoping to help them get started on research for this second essay, a first draft of which is due Thursday.  For the most part these sessions went well, and by now–late afternoon–I have even completed my grading for the day.  After I have finished this post, I can spend the rest of the evening reading–a luxury I absolutely adore.

However, I miss S., who just about now should be completing her first day back to work at her new job in Atlanta.  She stays till late Friday afternoon.  Hopefully after that she will be able to office at home until she leaves for India in March.  This is my first taste of her being away for longer than one night since we moved into this house–since her international travel a couple of years ago.  I suspect I’m adjusting fairly well so far.  At the very least I’m able to grade lots of papers without wanting so spend the time with her instead.  This gives me an opportunity to adjust to her absence without feeling overwhelmed by an extended separation.