By Monday?

That's the target date for finishing grading. Let's do the math: 24 student x final exams/papers/projects (minimum 6, maximim 10 pages each) = 144-240 pages of student writing to read.

I know it doesn't sound like much, but when writing is not felicitous (I'm being generous here), I have to read between the lines, figuring out what the students are trying to say. It's tough assigning writing projects as a demonstration of student knowledge because so much decoding is required of the reader (me). The documents don't exist in isolation - at this ending-point of the semester, I read as I think about what writing advice I've already given students (I've seen drafts for many of these folks), what the writers have said in class, how they've demonstrated their knowledge (mastery?) of the subject matter in other ways (usually verbal, of course - I've had a chatty, chatty bunch this semester!).

Wish me the ease and time (and perhaps red wine) to read this work with continued generosity.