Day 17 - Governor Newsom imposes new restrictions

12/2/20. Wednesday

 8:00 - …and I’m up.  Moving quickly now because I have THREE classes this morning, THREE Discussion Boards to post.  The dog is already awake – there is some kind of plumbing problem with the landscaping next door and the dog keeps running out the door to bark at the workers, then running back inside.  We go outside together and she goes potty.  Back inside and I give her pieces of chicken and make myself hot lemon water.

8:30 – 12:30 - I go to work.  The students have lecture and a chapter review quiz.  One of my highschoolers emailed me at 5:30 a.m. and says he has a doctor’s appointment and wants to make up the quiz at a later date. I email him and ask when his doctor’s appointment is – he says 9:30, but he and his Mom are getting ready now and must leave by 9:00. 

Now, dear reader, this is a smart student.  He has a 98% in the class, a solid A, there is one week left in the semester, and he wants to make up a 10-point multiple choice quiz.  I email the student and tell him to take the quiz now – it should only take around 3 minutes and I’m certain he will get a good score on it.

The highschooler explodes, saying, “I told YOU that my Mom and I are leaving right now!  It’s not fair to expect me to take a quiz without the full amount of time that everybody else has.  I need you to call my Mom right now and talk to her.”

Well. 

I email the student and explain that this is a college class and I don’t typically call my student’s PARENTS.  I note that this is probably more indicative of the student’s HIGH SCHOOL teachers.  I explain that I recommended he take the quiz because I was certain he would score well since he has one of the highest grades in the class. I explained that had I known in advance about his doctor’s appointment, I would have been inclined to send him the quiz early. HOWEVER, due to the fact that he did not provide sufficient notice of his absence and also due to the fact that he emailed me outside of normal business hours, I can’t unlock the quiz.

However, I will allow the student to submit the Extra Credit essay assignment, 6 weeks after it was due, for a 10-point “late” deduction.  This is how you can make up your grade now. Instead of spending 3 minutes on a 10-question multiple-choice quiz, where you would have scored an A, you now have to submit a paper that I will probably score as a 3 or below.  That is, IF you have the time to even submit a paper, as you enter Final’s week.

I hope it was worth it.  And don’t ever talk to me like that again, you f%@@ng a*&hole.  Why don’t you tell your Mom that?

-My highschooler from Monday, still trying to reclaim the points he lost from 11/13/20 when he didn’t sign in on the Discussion Board, makes the pitch that he was on Canvas for the entire duration due to the fact that he watched the 1 ½ hour documentary, then took two quizzes. He calls me unfair and, in a roundabout way, also calls me a liar.

I guess he doesn’t realize that I can see everything he did on Canvas for that day.  I reply that the Video Quiz was only based on the first 30 minutes of content – he didn’t have to spend 1 ½ hours watching the video.  I tell him that based on his “time stamp” he logged into Canvas 1 hour AFTER class started, took the Chapter Review Quiz at 9:47 and finished in 11 minutes, then took the Video Quiz at 9:57 and finished in 4 minutes.  Basically, he spent 15 minutes in a 1½ hour class. 

Additionally, while the highschooler is advocating for the restoration of his lost points two weeks ago, he, AGAIN, signed in 30 minutes late, TODAY, on the Discussion Board. I pointed out as much, informing him that he was late to class, yet again, even while he argues for the points he lost on 11/13/20 because he was…wait for it…wait for it…late to class.  He is always late to class. Maybe a little pain in the form of 0s will ensure that you report to class on time. He stops responding.

My responses and the back and forth with these students takes 2 hours.

The female highschooler from Monday emails me in a panic, stating that her WiFi is down, but she is really here, she just can’t sign in on the Discussion Board, and she is begging to take the Chapter Review Quiz.  She says, “I promise I’m up this time! Please call my Mom and talk to her.”  I knew it!  She was sleeping in, throughout this entire semester, and too lazy to sign in on the Discussion Board at 8:30.

I think she is telling the truth today so I say I believe her and will allow her to take the chapter review quiz right now.  And I’m NOT calling your Mom.  What is it with these kids?  Call your Mom?!!  What are your parents going to do?  This is a college class!

12:30-1:00 – I make an almond butter, strawberry smoothie and read a Money Diary.

-L. makes pumpkin pudding and leaves for my parents’ house.

1:00-4:00 – Grade papers.

4:00-4:45 – Quick shower.  Covid-19 Uniform.

4:45 – 5:30 - I leave for a car wash.  Just the exterior, though, so I can go through the automatic car wash and remain in my car.  I still keep my mask on inside my vehicle. I’ll vacuum my own interior later.

5:30 – 6:45 - To Whole Foods.  Once in the parking lot, I grade three papers before I get out of my car and go inside. It’s crowded but everyone is social distancing and masking as usual. I buy bouillion cubes so I can make Dad’s famous turkey soup, spinach, an onion, Yukon potatoes, sushi for dinner tonight, and Prosecco-in-a-can.

I sit in the car and grade two more papers before I leave the parking lot.

7:00 – 11:00 - Home and I put the food away.  I have sushi for dinner and read a Money Diary.

Grade papers

11:00-11:30 – L. asks me to read two environmental essays and give her my thoughts on the content.  This will give her a jumping off point for the paper she has to write.  I read them both and we discuss.

11:30 – 12:00 – Grade papers

12:00-1:00 – I make the turkey soup.  A lot of peeling and chopping is needed – carrots, celery, onions – and I also break down the turkey I brought home from B.’s last week. I set aside the most disgusting pieces of dark meat for the dog’s morning treats then set the soup on simmer and head into my office to…

1:00-2:30 – Grade papers.  I scan the papers into my computer so they’re ready to pass back tomorrow.  I continue to grade papers while I’m scanning and listen to Forensic Files podcasts while I work.

Paper Count = 12

2:30 – 3:00 - The turkey soup is done so I remove it and let it sit.  Kitchen duty.

3:00-3:30 – Night time routine. Bed.