Learning Something New

This is my first post from a place that is not a private residence. Right now, I'm holed up at a Taco Mac near Kennessaw State University. This post isn't about how I learned that I loved wi-fi hotspots. I knew that a long time ago. Instead it's about something I learned about what I really need to be a good teacher. After a week full of lost planning periods due to meetings and other assorted reasons, I decided to bring my quickly growing stack of papers to grade with me up to Atlanta this weekend and instead of sitting around the in-laws house like I usually do, I'd get my car serviced and head out to the bar to get some grading done.

Grading is the second worst part of the job (after the kids) and I usually put it off until it's too late and I just have to throw their work in the trash and make up grades for them*. It turns out that if there were only a decent beer bar in my hometown that I'd be the most with it teacher in the school. So far during the time it took me to drink a Red Brick Winter Ale, I've finished an entire stack of drama tests. I'm taking a short break now for a snack and to type this post before plowing back into another beer and another stack of crap to be graded.

I'm just glad I don't have any essays to grade. I could just imagine the comments I'd start leaving after the fifth or sixth beer of the evening. It takes me a long time to grade essays.

* I don't actually do this, although I have been really tempted in the past. I do occassionally no grade something I've assigned (all teachers do that), but I've never made up grades. It'd make my job easier if I did, though.