On Pentecost, Rev. Renae Extrum-Fernandez, reminded us of our call to be witnesses. “You will be my witnesses,” said Jesus to his disciples before ascending into the heavens. Being a witness is a key practice that supports our mission: to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Over the next 6 weeks, we will practice “witnessing” by simply sharing where we have recently seen or experienced God in our lives and how that has made a difference for us. This week, we give thanks for the sharing of Derek Lang.
“It is normal for several students to have to be held back until the class is taught again.” “They should get what they deserve.” “You have to be fair to all the other students.”
“It is normal for several students to have to be held back until the class is taught again.” “They should get what they deserve.” “You have to be fair to all the other students.”
These were some of the voices I heard as I was winding down the first class I ever taught at a university. I still recall being a teenager when my swimming teacher called me “professor,” and the teaching path was on my mind when I went on for further graduate studies. Teaching and interacting with students was fun, but grading… ughhh. Having to judge a student and possibly set him or her back a whole year before the class would be taught again felt like playing God with their lives, and I was very uncomfortable with that responsibility.
And sure enough, there were a few students who were failing by the end of the semester. I really struggled about what to do with them. What would failing mean to their academic career? What did it say about me as a teacher? What would other students or professors think if I was lenient on them?
I thought a lot about the saying “you reap what you sow.” Was it fair to the other students that I give them another chance to pass the course? The parable came to mind of the vineyard workers who worked all day and complained about the Master who gave equal share to those who worked only part of the day. The thought kept coming back to me that my job was not to mete out justice. And while many schools emphasize competition, this really was not about one gaining at the expense of another. Rather, my job and my service was to give the students the tools to succeed as engineers.
Of course, they still had to demonstrate they understood the fundamentals of the course. I owed that to the teacher of the next class they would take, and to safety of the public who would fly the airplanes or rockets they would eventually design. I would not be doing them any favors by passing them if they were not ready. But if it took extra time and effort that I could afford to give, then so be it. I met with those special students to assess their comprehension of the course and eventually gave them a final assignment to demonstrate what they knew.
I pray that this was the right decision. As I told a friend, there are life and death situations, but then there is everything else. And sometimes it is good to be generous with a little grace.