Wednesday, November 22
I can't wait for it to be next semester.

Let me rephrase that, I couldn't wait. I couldn't wait to start new. I couldn't wait to get semester #1 of my first year as an assistant professor under my belt. I couldn't wait, that is ,until I logged onto my account just a few hours ago only to discover that my worst student from this semester decided to take another course from me.

He's not my worst student ever. I mean I've had some doozies. It's just that they never came back. Coming back for more, well that's like a zombie or something. Or like a cat. You know, "and the cat came back, the very next day..." I'm allergic to cats.

Maybe it will be like the one other time when I had a student (who I had failed for cheating) who took another class from me and ended up invaluable. Maybe, though, it will be like a bad zombie movie and either he, or the fear and dread I instill in myself just thinking about his presence, will make my skin crawl and the spring semester creep by just as slowly as it has this fall.

3 comments:

fraud, in denim said...

I think it's really not so much this student, but what he symbolizes. I wanted a fresh start, particularly from this class that he's currently enrolled in and I'm bummed that I won't have that fresh start.

I'm getting used to the idea, though, and hope I'm just pleasantly surprised and that I'm still able to really enjoy this coming semester so much more than this past one.

Anonymous said...

ooh, sorry about annoying kid coming back. i think there are some students who are ok with doing bad. or are at least used to it. doesn't make it easier though...

DelaneyKirk said...

He obviously enjoys your class so I guess I would take it as a compliment. Every semester I have a student that really needs social skills and yet that student is probably the one I can have the most impact on...although this semester I had a male student cry...in class...the first day...while telling a work related story...that happened eight years ago...