If you haven't heard from me in awhile...

it is the end of the 9 weeks.  (Insert sigh of relief here).  It is also the week before Fall Break.  I (a usually organized person) may very well be found buried under a pile of Frankensteins and Seascapes (and owls, and paperwork).  Did I forget to mention that my order of art supplies arrived today?  Not that I don't love a big box O' supplies (or 7) but in the midst of the grading/evaluating frenzy, I feel as if the boxes just walled in my prison. 

In all seriousness, Artsonia has helped me to stay more caught up, so that I am evaluating through the 9 weeks, and not at the end.  It also allows me to look at the overall progress of a student portfolio style.  For the next few days, my goal is not to just hand back artwork, but to have a small chat with each student about what they did, and what our goal is moving forward.  It went well today, and I think the students were surprised and pleased to not only see their progress on my grade sheet, but to know that yes, I look at what they do, and I remember what they've done before. I even got to congratulate one student who is usually a problem on his improved attitude and artwork this 9 weeks.  How do you tackle the end of a grading season?  Frenzied grading?  Honest conversations?  Denial?