How I Spent This Past Weekend

Anyone who teaches understands this one. I am just frustrated as i get through the last few chunks of grading. My final grades are due on May 4th, along with my papers. Here is what is left on my list:

• 12-15 page historiography
• 8-10 page paper on Title IX
• 3 page book review (still need to read that book)
• 1 final exam
• Grade 19 final lesson plans
• Grade the inch of late work turned in
• Grade 30 portfolios
• Grade 19 final projects

I know I added more to the pile because I had previously lumped the grading together. Now that my course work is thinning out it is time for me to concentrate on what needs to be graded. Once all of this is done I have to finish one of the courses I am developing. One has been completed for over a month; the second one is about half-way done. The professor teaching the course is also very slow in getting me the material. Either way, I know I can hammer it out during finals week.

Last Weeks of the Semester

To best explain graduate school to you, I have found this cartoon:
Yep, that's about it for now. The brain is a fine grated parmesan, but one more thing can be crossed off my list, but I keep forgetting to add the grading of student work to the pile.

• 12-15 page historiography of girls' secondary education (Got the due date moved to Monday of finals week, giving me an extra weekend to work on it! Now due Monday 4 May)
• 1000 word paper on HPV and a group presentation on it (Due Tuesday 28 April)
• 8-10 page paper on Title IX (Due Monday 4 May)
• 3 page book review of Oakes' Keeping Track (Due Wednesday 29 April)
• 1 final exam (Friday 8 May)
• Grade all of my students' work and portfolios, grades due Monday 4 May

Update

I know that you are all concerned about how I am doing with my work load with a little over two weeks left in the semester.  I have finished two of my assignments, the 250 word paper on childhood in the 1950s and a 500 word essay on the history of Play-Doh for my show and tell.  My show and tell got moved to next week, but those two papers are done.  The group presentation on HPV is done, now to hammer out the 1000 word essay on it.  Below is my list of my own work to take care of by the end of the semester.  It helps me to make lists of what needs to be done.

• 12-15 page historiography of Girls' Secondary Education
• 1000 word paper on HPV and a group presentation on it as well.
• 8-10 page paper on Title IX
  
• Six 1-page legal briefs
• Three page book review of Oakes' Keeping Track
• One final exam

I also have a pile of grading to take care of for the courses that I am teaching.  I was able to catch up on some of the work, but I just feel a little overwhelmed.  I know things will get done, but I felt the need to complain here. 

On the other hand, it has been 5 weeks since my surgery.  I have lost 17 pounds.  I feel back to normal, I just need to find the time to get back into a workout routine.  

For an update on the stats situation, I have enrolled in the stats class that will work for my program.  The faculty member believes that this class should work for me, as long as I am willing to read earlier portions of the book when I get lost.  I had to drop the other course that conflicts with the stats class.  I am waiting for Pablo to write me back and let me know what I can do.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that they move the course to another night so I can have it all fall into place.  I am not too worried, I was the only student registered for the course.  I just like having this planned out a head of time.  It is one less thing for me to worry about.

I Hate Statistics, and You Should Too

If you have not noticed by now, I am not a scientist or a mathematician. I am a trained historian and an educator. The program that I am in requires all of its students to take a graduate level statistics class, and is very specific about which courses qualify. There are two courses in the entire university that qualify, as far as I know and have been told. I understand why they want their students to have a background in statistics, it doesn't mean that I have to like it. What happened is that I met with my advisor, Pablo, and it went very well. If the graduate school accepts one of my master's degree courses for credit, I have 12 credits left. Four classes, two each semester, and I am done with all the course work for my doctorate. It is a scary thought. One of these classes is the stats class that I have been putting off since I began this program in the Fall of 07. I have very little wiggle room for the four courses left. I have registered for one course this fall and I am trying to get into the one stats class that will let someone like me, who has not had stats since 1997, take the course. I have to get permission from the instructor who has never taught this particular class and is not completely sure if she will cover any introductory material. She is being really good about trying to help me determine if I want to attempt this course without a refresher. Here is the problem I am faced with now. The stats class is offered on the same day and roughly the same time as the only other class that I will be taking this fall. The two that I will take in Spring of 10 are not offered until Spring so there are not really any other options that I am aware of at the moment. Pablo told me to worry about the stats first and the other class will figure itself out. I have a great advisor!

On another front, I am working on hammering out my pile of grading. I think that I have let the students suffer enough agony waiting for their graded work to be returned. Today is a day of marathon grading. Then I will turn to getting my papers done. Here is the last few things I have to complete this semester:

• 12-15 page historiography of Girls' Secondary Education
• 1000 word paper on HPV and a group presentation on it as well.
• 250 word paper on childhood leisure activities in the 1950s
• 500 word paper on a toy and a show and tell presentation (I still need a toy)
• 8-10 page paper on Title IX
• Six 1-page legal briefs
• Three page book review of Oakes' Keeping Track
• One Final Exam

There is three weeks of classes left, so I have my work cut out for me. I will be very happy when I can start crossing these off my list.