69

Ha... I bet that title post got a few weird looks.  I just couldn't resist!

So one of the great/horrible things about being a teacher is I hold all their little grades in my hands.  Well actually they CHOOSE their grades, but that's all together another topic.  In my students minds its up to me what grade I give them.  This week is semester test week....ahhh the joy of not having to teach, and the hasell of having to deal with grades.  Not to mention this is the first semester their grades count, and to some kids it's like I hold their entire future in my hands (not really, but oh the drama-filled life of a ninth grader).

I'm not mean.  For most of my students I will always bump their grades up if say they have a 79 or 89, taking into consideration how well they behaved in class and their willingness to work.

I had one student today who had a 69.  Lets call him Andy.  Andy is not one of my best behaved students. In fact, its a daily struggle between him and I in class.  He's just a bit immature for his age, and I'm sure he'll grow into himself eventually.  But right now, he drives me crazy.  He's not exactly the best student either.  So it wasn't really a shock to me when he had a 69.  What was is the conversation that followed as I was discussing his grade with him...

Me:  "Andy, you received a 60 on your semester exam and you have a 69 for your semester grade"
Andy:  "So that's a 70?"
Me:  "No, it's a 69"
Andy:  "No it's probably like a 69.7 which will round up to a 70"
Me:  "No, it's a 69"
Andy:  "But you'll round it up"
Me:  "Do you feel like you deserve a 70?"
Andy:  "Well how about this, unless you give me a 70, I'll hate you and make you miserable next semester"

Gees.... What ever happened to manners, and being nice to your teachers, or.... actually asking nicely??
He still has a 69 and that's where its staying.