"Now the dog ate the baby..."*

I gave a test today on integrals and derivatives. Simple memorization, the students were given a week to study. I announced the test on Monday, said it would be on Friday and gave them the week to memorize the 40 odd formula required.

So of course, they waited until Thursday night to start studying and only asked me questions the period before calculus today. I was told that they were not ready. They begged me to grade it on an AP scale (I grade my calculus tests on an AP scale because I structure them like mini-AP tests. 60% and above is an A. I tend to have at most three As in the class every test.)

The amount of complaining I had to put up with about this test drove me nuts.

And they all did really well. Two of my students were sick, but the rest did really well. It looks like low 80's are going to be the lowest grades.

I'm happy for how well my students did. But I do want to beat them with stupid sticks every once and a while. ** If they put half the energy into working that they do into complaining, they'd all get 5's. But then again, I did that both in high school and college. I remember it very well. In a way, I'm amazed by my high school teachers. I've thought about getting back in touch with a couple.

I guess I'm just going to have to hope that more of them fall asleep in class. I have to get some use out of that super-soaker that I bought.

Also, if someone could point me toward a resource on creating footnotes in html or (even better) footnotes in blogger, I'd be very greatful.

*That's part of a Rocky Horror Picture Show callback (You wanted a dog so we got you a puppy, you wanted a baby so we got you pregnant, now the dog ate the baby and all you can do is bitch bitch bitch, whine whine whine, moan, moan, moan.)

**The stupid stick is from my days doing technical theater during high school. The (student) stage managers would threaten to beat the other techies with it when they were being very stupid.