Twenty-one

For the last 8 weeks, starting in November, I instructed 26 first-year students in how to write a historic, scientific essay. That shouldn't be to difficult. Right? At the end of the course only 21 students remained. 3 of them quite and two I kicked out. Is it really so difficult to come to class on time? To hand in your assignments on time? To listen to anything I say? To write in proper Dutch. Apparently.

So starting just before Christmas, I've been reviewing the first versions of their essay. Of the 21 essays only two or three were good. The rest was average or even bad.

Last week they handed in their final versions. I'm reviewing these now. Oh my, writing proper Dutch is very difficult for some. I explained to them several times that 15 writing errors means you fail the class. So for, more than half failed. Isn't that sad? That's our future. At the moment I really pity myself.

The downside to all this is that I have had hardly time to read anything else. And if I read something else, it is of a very low, very little brain using quality. Like a lovy-dovy. At least, that is the type of book I'm currently reading before going to sleep. Little embarressed by it. In the train to work I read "The gods of Atlantis", by David Gibbins. A kind of historic topic (Atlantis); a mix between Dan Brown and Indiana Jones. Always fun.

During the holidays I also found the time to finish "Nocturnes" by John Connolly. I wil try and find some time one of these days to write a review.