When a student struggles for days over the perfect thesis, phrasing, and argument, they should expect some credit for their work. The teachers at this school really do instill in their students a value for deadlines; however now it the time for that message to be reciprocated. Ms. Bird disagreed, “Students do not dictate what goes on in the classroom. Teachers do.”

     Contracts do not bind teachers to a schedule of grading and handing back work. Rather, standardized testing, like MCAS, the SATs, or AP tests, put an emphasis on test-taking abilities rather than long-term writing assignments. This is not to say that Scituate students learn nothing but their test material. But it does suggest that teachers spend less time assigning and grading creative projects or papers. Working within state guidelines, teachers have a year to assure their students meet or exceed a standard of learning. As students, we have only a few days to complete weighty assignments. The least our teachers can do is respect our hard work and return their comments in a timely manner.

     Teachers who collect about four hundred papers in a single day are excusable in this instance. There is something to be said for generating quality criticism, and ensuring that each student’s work receives the attention they need. But for teachers who tell their classes day in and day out that they are “almost done,” well, that’s no excuse. We can’t pull that one on our due date. Some disagree. Ms. Bird said “Students do not dictate what goes on the classroom. Teachers do.”

     Shouldn’t education be a conversation between teacher and student? Some teachers seem to want to talk to students about their writing; others refuse to talk about the assignment until everything’s graded. Regardless, there’s apathy on both the part of the student and the teacher when it comes to caring about writing.

     When it comes to the meaning behind the writing, students fall short. English teacher Ms. Berg said, “I ask students to do assignments with some sort of value. Oftentimes I see students only look at their letter grades, and ignore the comments I wrote, or forget to look for what they did well.”

     Perhaps we’ve been spoiled at SHS. From what we’ve heard, lecture-style classes (with hundreds of students learning from one grumpy professor) dominate the college experience. Students at SHS are allowed a specific, guided education that assists students to grow their skills. What would be lost by a professor is reclaimed by SHS teachers; our staff actually knows our names and cares about our progress.

     With that being said, our unique situation shouldn’t limit our potential. Students care about their writing, but only so that it allows them admission to college. In a world of GPAs, standardized tests, jobs, and group work, there should be a rediscovery of the power of the written word. It’s satisfying to not only get the grade on the paper, but know that it represents a bettering of your own mind. Teachers only need to get these papers back sooner if their students are truly fanatic about what they wrote.