Anyway. Two whole groups did not show up to present, one person of another group didn't show up (so I let that person's partner present, and graded him only on his half). Several people haven't given me the write ups.
NO ONE has asked for an extension on the write ups (and with presenting? They're just out of luck. No more class days).
And I admit: I know I should be sympathetic and all. yes our students have challenges. But I had challenges too, this fall. In the depths of my grief over my father, my friend Charles, my friend Liz....grief over the minister leaving the church....irritation over all the small things that broke at home and getting someone in to fix them at a time when I was not in class....I was there, I was 100% there. My heart was maybe not always in it, maybe I wasn't the most effective teacher. But dangit, I showed up. And I warned people ahead of time my memory might not be the best, or I might not always be in the best frame of mind.
But for the people who missed presenting today? Crickets, and if they complain to me about the points they lost....well, some of them were present on Tuesday and did not volunteer to speak then, so they had a chance, and missed it.
But yeah, that's one thing I get very tired of - people who don't fulfill their obligations and don't warn me ahead of time they can't, and then come after the fact with a big old sob story. And some times? I get pressured into cutting them a break. (And I haven't always felt cut-a-break this fall; a couple times I *explicitly* asked for help with something at work and no help was forthcoming)
Anyway. I have six more papers to grade now (I gave people until their presentation time to hand them in, but a few people who presented today, bless them, gave me copies to grade on Tuesday)
But yeah, I'm done. After my office hours end - at which point I should be (briefly) at Grading Zero - I am going home, eating lunch (I think: one of the noodle bowls I have and some sauteed spinach) and taking my car for an oil change, and then maybe? running to the local kitchen-and-giftware shop because the last time I was there they were *just* putting out their Christmas stuff and I didn't really get to see it, and I need a little of something nice and off-campus for a bit. (And if the antique shop up the street is open - they aren't, always - I might pop in there too).
But yes, I admit, my compassion is a little burned out right now. Oh, it's one thing if people genuinely are willing to forfeit those points because of a hatred of public speaking or whatever, but I will not exactly be cheerful if they come to me demanding some accommodation because of Reasons.
Like I said: I know it's not very gracious of me, but when I think of all the days this fall I just wanted to stay home and stay in bed, but got myself to work and worked instead, I don't have a lot of sympathy for someone going through considerably less than I did and demanding they just be *given* the points they missed.
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ETA: And my chair just came in, apologetically - "I didn't realize we have to draw the external for post-tenure review committees at random, so here" and she held out a small basket to me to pick a name from.
I'm actually....happy about this? It saves me from having to call someone up and ask them if they'll serve (I wouldn't just suggest someone, because then they might get mad, and that might bias them against me). I don't know the person whose name I drew all that well but I think it will be OK.
But I'm still kind of dreading PTR this year, I'm just bracing to get a "Do Better Letter" because this fall semester was such a write-off.
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