Last week, the week before Spring Break, when I felt tired, it seemed like a terrific idea to put off grading the two pieces of work I had asked my students to turn in. This week, it seemed less terrific.
I didn’t have a bag of work propped by the door. In these days if remote earning, it was a virtual pile in my Canvas account. Despite the fact that I couldn’t see the work, it still loomed large in my mind. I needed to do something about it. Tempted as I was to procrastinate until Sunday, yesterday presented an opportunity.
After playing phone tag with the vets office, we had decided to start Richard on a low dose of prednisone fr five days. The tech I spoke to on Tuesday afternoon told me she’d call in the scrip to my local grocery store since their offices were closed on Wednesdays. I assumed she meant she’d call it in right away so I waited half an hour then drove over. They had no record of the scrip. I knew I’d have to try again the next morning.
I don’t sleep in much on weekends or holidays, maybe only 30 minutes beyond a normal work day, so I was up early on Wednesday. I knew the pharmacy opened at 9 and I planned to call before I drove over this time. As an early riser, I had time to kill. What better way to kill to birds with one stone than to take a look at that mountain of work while I waited to call?
My teaching partner is disciplined and likes to score a set number a day. I like to sit down and binge grade. I have a routine around it, setting up my work are a certain way, following a particular order of operations. It works for me.
And my master plan worked for me this day.
I managed to get most of the work done by 9:30, when I called the pharmacy. Yes, they did have a scrip for Richard. I dressed and drove over. I was in and out in 15 minutes. After greeting Richard, who missed me as if I’d been gone all day, I got back to work and finished the school work before lunch.
booksandbassets 
Glad you got it done, and hope Richard is on the mend. I also put off some grading. It always seems like a great idea at the time.
Congratulations! Now you truly have FREE days ahead. I know that feeling you describe, than darn procrastination can get to me even though I only have a few students, unlike you. I am a binge-grader also. How else? I can’t imagine scheduling a certain number per day; I am in awe. Enjoy your remaining much-deserved break. (Here’s hoping Richard gets some relief, too!)
Having a plan that works does make things go more quickly. Glad you got your work finished. Now you can relax and enjoy.
I guess that’s what we all do – put off some grading nearer to the holidays. And when the holidays come, we don’t want to ruin them with the mountain of work!
Do you like grading papers more or less than grading virtual papers? I go back and forth about reading certain things – sometimes I like the online reading for a good long stretch but then I start printing things again. Depends on how much I want to mark it up. I don’t know how I would do with online grading!
At first I hated scoring online. I have come around to it. but feel it is really awkward leaving feedback. I prefer writing my comments by hand.
I’m a binge grader too!!! I love that phrase now, never used it before LOL. Congratulations on getting it done!
I think there are a lot of us out there!