Monday, December 12, 2005

On the eve of undergrad evals

My TA just emailed me to tell me that he's missing a bunch of grades. He handed some homeworks back before entering them into Blackboard. I distinctly remember him telling me that he was keeping a separate excel spreadsheet, and then would just enter them the grades on BB later. But no, that's the only place they were, and now they're nowhere. Tomorrow is the last day my class meets—also evaluation day. We have to ask them to bring in their homeworks so we can re-record their grades. And now there's a distinct possibility that his incompetence will affect my evaluation.

This is why I hate working with other people, even if they're supposed to help take a load off. Granted, none of my other TAs have ever done this, but collaborative work of any kind always leaves the door open for something bad to happen that's out of you're control (that you get blamed for anyway).

I do NOT need this right now.

4 Comments:

Blogger academic coach said...

That's too bad. Esp because you Know that there is going to be lots of homework that can't be found or isn't brought in and then, sigh, a whole can of worms re. grading...

12/13/2005 6:44 AM  
Blogger shrinkykitten said...

That really sucks. I often feel like I am oh so privileged for having a TA, especially when it seems like a lot of the academic bloggers don't have them. But truly, they add a whole 'nuther set of headaches. For example, my TA gave all of my students A's and B's on their final papers. These students DID NOT all desrve A's and B's - so I have to go back and regrade them all, otherwise we will have grade inflation (which would likely improve my evals, but I don't believe in it).

12/13/2005 10:46 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If it makes you feel any better, as an undergrad we all knew that handling grades was the TA's responsibility; I bet they all know well enough to blame him.

12/13/2005 2:02 PM  
Blogger wolfa said...

I am so glad this never happened to my profs, because I never was that organised to keep all my assignments, or keep them easily accessible. (Luckily I never wanted to dispute a grade either.)

I hope your TA is appropriately contrite. Best of luck.

12/13/2005 2:17 PM  

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