Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

I forgot to mention last time that by Friday my thesis student actually called up asking if I had finished proofing his paper. This is when I had already left a note in the board about the status of his paper.

In fact, he called twice. The first time, I had just gotten in the department as my co-teacher was telling him about the note I left for him. She was getting ready to read it to him when he instead said he'd just call back later. She put down the phone just as I appeared in her view.

The second time I was in the department when he called, and I got to talk to him. He asked if it would be finished by Saturday (looking back, it wasn't), and I said he could try to find out the next day. I bet for him that means calling again, even if I could have left a note in my pigeonbox addressed to him, that someone answering the phone would miss.

All this time and he still doesn't know the importance of making the effort to go to school to meet with his teachers. Out of two thesis students both of whom didn't accomplish their original objectives, I'd defend for a passing grade to the panel the one who consulted more frequently in person.

More so that he doesn't have any other subjects left, and I know he'd just be going to school for his thesis. Just because his thesis is programming doesn't mean he has to stay home all the time. Could that be the reasoning why he withdrew from making an experimental thesis in the first place?

That ties in with apparent his minimum-work ethic that led to his making excuses to the panel for the features of his software that he had not done, even if he had been able to complete them this term.

If he had consulted more often, he probably wouldn't have taken this long in the first place, as I would have been more updated as to his progress and how much he should already have accomplished that far.

On to another topic, a correction to the true electives offered next term that I mentioned before: one is introduction to robotics (which is required for engineering majors), another is web design (which is required for computer science majors) and the third is
principles of print media (which maybe - I'm not sure - required for business administration majors).

There was also a hitch to the proctoring I have for the finals on Saturday. I'm going to be overseeing two exams (830-1030am and 1045am-1245pm) other than my own (1030am-1230pm). Since the almost 40 students taking the first exam will be housed in the auditorium, I had suggested that all three exams by set there, so that I wouldn't have to switch rooms between exams. The secretary said that I should write a letter requesting the change of venue to the dean. I asked if it shouldn't be the original teacher writing the letter, because I'm already the one doing her a favor here. If they won't allow the use of the auditorium, she'll have to be the one to find another proctor.

In the end the secretary said she'd try to process the reservation now with the whole situation clear to her, but my co-teacher is still willing to write a letter of request if it comes to that, and the secretary will approach her if necessary.