Mark Thy Selves

I just finished the last automarker for the semester, which was a small headache because of complications with the cold and delays from others, but I think it's a lovely if imperfect work of art.

His wings are gray and trailing,
Azrael, Angel of Death.
And yet the souls that Azrael brings
Across the dark and cold,
Look up beneath those folded wings,
And find them lined with gold
- Robert Welsh

School is a lot of work.  One of my favourite parts of school is TAing.  My students generally love me, and I like to break my neck for them.  Well, I used to, now I put in half the effort and the results are twice as good?  I think that's just experience, or perhaps just an attitude change from having to coddle them and letting go.  Or both. :)  I certainly spend less time in the lab this year than last.  It's for the same course, which is nicknamed the Angel of Death.

I sometimes bring in cookies to labs, and sometimes my students bring me cookies.  Sometimes we make paper pirate hats and swash-buckle in the lab, like during Fair November last year. Other times, like the other week, I assemble my students in front of a window so we can collectively stare into a professor's office until he notices and gets weirded out by the unexpected audience. :D  Maybe that's an abuse of power?

Last semester.  I don't have a difficult-to-identify-individuals
photo from this semester :D

It's definitely worth the effort.  I think they really benefit.  It makes me happy to be well-prepared for labs and take an interest in their problems.  Sometimes it's a little weird to command their positive opinion.  It's not like I'm all that.  But I guess they like that I try?