“But Im going to lose my scholarship”
I need some advice about how to get over this guilt even though I know my actions are justified.
I teach almost exclusively freshman and first year students and this year has been the first one where I really don’t feel like I understand my students work ethic. Im the youngest prof in the department (27f) so the students have always acted like they can relate to me and talk to me a bit more than my colleagues but it’s just gotten out of hand.
Throughout the course of one of my classes, we read a (super simple and fun) book and then discuss the chapters as class warm ups. They are not huge grades but count towards class participation which I weight at 50% of the final grade.
I have had more habitually late students this semester than ever before, and as a result several of them have zeros for these discussions.
About a month ago, I told those students that if they wanted to send me written notes on the chapters I would amend the grades. None of them seemed to take me up on the offer until now.
Our semester ended last Monday, and I told students I would not accept any late work past 5pm that night. This was a bit of a lie because I probably would have added it up until Friday evening. Nonetheless, several students ignored this deadline and one particular student emailed me at 1am Sunday asking if I could possibly accept the notes and raise his grade from a solid middle C to a B.
I told him no, basically you f’d around all semester and now you’re finding out. Then he comes back with the classic “I will lose my scholarship and it was only a mistake” reply.
This kid is honestly one of my favorites, he’s really funny and when he does his work it’s at a level that could shame his classmates. But I have spent the whole semester making exceptions and Im at my limit. And I had to deny the same notes from other students trying to turn them in past the deadline so beyond everything else it just wouldn’t be fair. I have to stand by my original answer even though it will probably cost him his scholarship.
How do yall deal with this? I know this is just going to get worse with all the bs they’re being allowed to get away with In Highschool now.
How do I keep from feeling like Im ruining someone’s life?
EDIT FOR CLARITY** I am definitely not going to let him turn the work in, any extensions and leniency I have showed has been equal for all students and I have no question about my actions. Mostly I just need to know how to cope emotionally with my decisions