New Stories about students

Yesterday - My lovely wife, Caltechgirl, and I had some business to attend to while I was supposed to be working. While I was gone, my students apparently actually worked on the stuff that I had left them. That wasn't what I really wanted to blog about though. This other thing is even more amazing

Same day, but earlier, I was at school, teaching my 2nd period. I announce that I am handing out my LAST Assignment for my Earth Science class (Finals are on the 20th). I have maybe 2 individuals currently passing this quarter, and probably 4 passing the semester. I have been bending over backwards, trying to find something that my students could grasp onto. Then maybe they could learn just a little dispite their best efforts to not to.

I offered an assignment that involved using computers and PowerPoint. I also made the assignment attainable and worth a lot of points. If they make it, they have a good possibility to pass. I expected maybe 3 different people to work on it and complete it, but to my surprise, I have all but maybe 2 of the 10 of my students completing the assignment. There is a bonus to it though, the computers teacher is also giving a grade for the same project that I created, and there are people failing her class, that are in my class too. I have students making 8 - 10 page slide shows, who have not done a single thing in the last 5 weeks. I have one individual that has the project done already, that hasn't completed a single assignment for 12 weeks. I am SO surprised that I don't know just what to do with myself... I just wish that I had discovered this 12 weeks ago...

I shall chalk this one up to experience and hopefully I will not make the same mistakes next year.

More later on how they act next week and their achievement on the final...