Finals

I don't know if every professor feels this way, but in the days between the last day of class and when the final papers/projects are due, I always feel a bit like a midwife. I find myself checking my email more (I don't have a smartphone, so I'm not henpecked by any of my email accounts), looking into the course management system frequently to see if there are messages there from students. In short, I worry about them. So far, when the papers/projects finally come in, I am thrilled and relieved to find that the vast majority of them did quite well--plenty of evidence of thinking, learning, engagement. But always in the space in between--midwifed.

I may get over this in the fall when my small classes give way to two enormous ones. But. We'll see. Not there yet.