One week back at work - the coursework push

No posts say one thing - I'm exhausted and completely over stretched. Yesterday I came home, ate and got into bed all before 7pm. It was a gorgeous day out but I just couldn't do being awake anymore. This is not normal for me after a normal half term, usually I am still feeling somewhat refreshed but this first week is different - its the coursework push.

We run the BTEC Subsidiary Diploma in Applied Law and we're about 90% of the way through. The last hand in date was to first day back after half term, so straight away there is some marking and after that most students have one or two criteria to have resubmit, which is normal and they get it done and move on but this is the point that the 'problem' students really start to become a problem. The ones who have poor attendance, the ones who miss deadlines, the ones who cannot concentrate for any period of time and the ones who are lazy and disaffected. 

This is the second year we've run the BTEC and I think it's fair to say that this year was infinitely better than last year. We'd put into place some new strategies and it's working so much better but, I think the nature of the thing means one thing, no matter how much you encourage, suggest, cajole, bribe and even bully your students to get the work done and get it done well on the first try, they will all work hardest and produce the best work in the last week of the course. If they worked with the same ferocity all year as they do for those five days we'd have the whole course done before Christmas. 

I still have a lot to learn and lots of changes to make next year but these are the most important things that I've learnt so far:

1. When you set the assignment know what you're looking for and what you expect it to look like. 

2. Be realistic about what you're going to get when you write your assignment briefs. 

3. Provide flexibility in the methods of completing the work.

4. Ask for creativity, but expect it in all of its forms.

5. Don't accept plagiarism in any way, ever. 

So, despite the trials and tribulations we've had getting the students there, we've got students who are now completing the course with distinction stars (equivalent to an A* at A level) and now they're moving on to red brick universities, many of them to study law. That is what makes it all worthwhile.