::A Geek in Korea::

There is no going back now. We’re heading into finals week now, and I’ve got my test prepared and ready to go. My students will start taking my exam this week, and I’ve got to get them into a computer and entered into the university’s system in a few weeks time. I’ve got to be judgmental and start giving pass/fail and actual letter grades from this point out.

The other teachers have already worked out their strategies for coping with people and trying to keep the rules fair for everyone. Every time I make a decision in class I try to think about how it could be warped into an advantage for SOMEONE else. I trust my students to a point, but I’m aware that the standard of ethics in Korean universities sometimes flies right out the window. Right now I’ve given two students permission to take their exams in other classes. They were attempting to reschedule due to finals conflicts, but I gave them the option of taking them early, or miss the exam. They took the test early.

I’ve already given my rescheduled examinations already, it worked as a trial run for my testing sheet and documents. I tweaked my grading sheet and redesigned it for clarity. I already know that students are going to write on exams despite being expressly told not to, so I’ve printed off more versions of my multiple tests. Same questions, different orders. No one sitting near by each other should end up with the same test if I am lucky. Now all I have to do is keep them straight while grading them and then entering them in the computer.

The five classes I have to grade are just the start. I’ve also got to correct them, put them into the computer, then prepare all the documents related to my testing of students for their group project final. Then I have to get all those grades into the computer so that I can report a rough guess as to what their final grades will be before they leave for vacation. I don’t want to be in email contact with dozens of students asking for me to raise their grades when they leave.

Pair this with a fussy daughter, an overworked wife, a dog that is losing weight and badly needs a long walk or two due to stress, and I have a long week of work ahead of me. The end is in sight however. My evening classes will finish this week, which will free up several hours so that I can do paperwork late into the evening if need be. All I need to do this week in the meantime is figure out my secret Santa gift to get that game finished…and make sure to complete that too. Ugh. At least my lesson planning is significantly reduced this week.