The first lesson of this week was devoted to students writing their in-class assignment. I did try to make like as easy as possible by allowing a week and a half to read the text on which the assignment is based. I also made the actual task available a full week in advance. As a teacher, supervising the writing of such assignments during class time allows for some time to catch up on administrative work. However, it still means that whatever students write in class needs to be graded at a later date and it's never possible to grade a whole set of assignments in the same amount of time as it took students to write it. And so, after students wrote the assignment, I had to spend every available moment for the rest of the week grading. Although I succeeded in grading the assignments in time for the second lesson of the week, I did not give the results or provide feedback. My major concern at the moment is getting students prepared to write their second essay. Therefore feedback on the in-class writing will have to wait until the second lesson after the Bayram - the day on which students will submit the first draft of their second essay.
Although we haven't really spent a lot of time preparing for the second essay, I often find that it is best to get students started as soon as possible in actually writing something. They may do quite a good job, in which case everyone is happy. However, if I find that the penny hasn't dropped then I will be able to fit in an extra draft for those who are struggling to understand what it is they need to do. So...here's hoping that the concept of synthesis is grasped immediately and we all have a pain free end of semester.
Speaking of pain-free, we now have yet another free week to look forward to. Now that I have succeeded in grading the in-class assignments and because "the ball is in the students' court" (they are working on their second essay)I am in the blissful situation of having no grading and so can look forward to a worry free week.
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