oi... 20 hours to go

as much as i understand what it's like to be a stressing out student the night before an exam (heck i've been there plenty, and as recently as 2 years ago), i never thought about what it's like to be a teacher the week before an exam.

office hours i don't mind. my students generally come during the scheduled time, so it's not a problem. i don't even think of it when students still have questions when my office hours are scheduled to end, and i stay another 30-60 minutes helping them out until all their questions are done.

what does get to me is that i have students who haven't turned in homework all semester, haven't showed up to office hours once, and at 7pm the night before the final start emailing me questions left and right... one in particular (who indeed hasn't turned in homework once, is usually late to class, and has never emailed me questions, or come to office hours ever before) asked for my IM name so he could ask questions and get answers more quickly and then requested i meet with him tomorrow. i responded that i don't have IM and that i check email periodically, but i've been in my office answering questions half the week already, and i have my own work to be doing too, so you can't just count on me to be there on demand last minute like that.

frankly, you get what you give... there's nothing that says i need to be writing fairly instantaneous responses up til midnight the night before the test, and yet i am. but if the students didn't show effort all semester until tonight, i really don't have an obligation to make a special case and give them tons more help in the final hours. i have a much easier time writing back nice responses to students who have asked questions all along and been respectful of my time.

i love my students, but i also only have finite energy, and the ones who want it last minute without trying to meet me part way first are not going to get special treatment.

really, it takes a lot of patience and energy to be a teacher (or even just a TA) during finals week.

oi...