Thursday, January 19, 2006

Finals Victory

This week is final exam week at school. The tension is palpable.

My Algebra I classes are mostly freshmen, and yesterday my last Algebra I class took its final exam. One student in that class has been a B/C student all semester--capable, but makes bonehead mistakes (negative signs, things like that). He definitely wants to do well and didn't quit when he experienced setbacks. He had a pretty strong C going into the final.

After class yesterday he asked if I'd grade his final so I did. A-! I put that grade into my grade program and out came his semester percentage--80.1%, a B- by the skin of his teeth! I'm not sure which of us was happier.

I let him call his mother from the phone in the classroom. She gave a--how shall I say it?--interesting response. So when he got off the phone I gave him the congratulatory hug he deserved.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's January. How can you have finals week in January?

Joan said...

I'm dying to know what the mother's response was. Good for you for dispensing the deserved hug and affirmation.

Darren said...

Rightwingprof: finals week is in January because tomorrow is the last day of the semester.

Joan: I'd rather not give any more details than I already have. It's a fine line to walk when blogging, telling a story whilst also having to maintain strict confidentiality. I'll just say that the response wasn't what I would have said if my own son had just kicked butt on a final exam.

Anonymous said...

i had a 89.9% going into the trig final... came out with 90.3% :)

Darren said...

Yay!