There's something to be said for self confidence

Yet again the Texas weather gods had too much to drink last night and mistakenly work up thinking they're in South Bend and therefore brought in snow, ice, and a windchill of 0.  Since we've already lost four days of class and this now makes five, all of the UNT teachers have basically resigned themselves to teaching online.  There just is no way we can make up another 50-80 minutes before Spring Break.

My day started with me reediting (again) a quiz so that it could be given online rather than in class.  We had the frank discussion in class on Monday that if UNT were to be closed, that the students would be responsible for logging onto Blackboard, either writing or typing their answers, and then sending that quiz back to me via email to be graded.  Simple enough.  Now I knew that this process would be a little traumatic for some.....people always think I'll forget, that their computer won't work, etc.  But here's the thing: everyone has the syllabus which has my email, most of the students have tracked me down on facebook (and I woke up to several panicked messages), and some even have my personal phone number.  So, if there were to be an error, someone could surely track me down.

So, the quiz was posted at the time indicated both in the online announcement as well as discussed in class two days ago.  I even put up two versions (one PDF and one .DOCX) so that people could print, write, and scan or opt to type their answers in on the computer.  It's too early yet to know if everyone remembered to sign in to BB and do the quiz, but I'm sure someone will forget or claim they didn't know.....which means they don't check their email, sign into BB, or listen in class so they probably deserve the 0 they'll be getting.

But here's the real problem: why don't people trust themselves anymore?  My little students know very well that they need to sign in for the quiz, that it will be there, that they'll be able to complete it, and that they'll be able to send it back to me.  But why are they doubting themselves?  These are smart, scrappy, resourceful developing minds here.......why are they so worried that they won't be able to complete the project they are so much more than able to complete?  Who taught them to doubt themselves so much?  Resourcefulness is a life skill.....if you can't figure out a way around a problem, then you're probably going to die soon anyway.  Granted, there is quite a fine line between believing in yourself and being overconfident, but I'm worried that there is a complete lack of inventiveness, resourcefulness, grace under pressure.

I blame George Bush.