An essay

I am grading final exams right now and simultaneously reflecting on each of my students as the semester comes to an end and we write narrative evaluations of each of our students. I see a lot of growth, but also such a long way to go.

Here is a student's response to the essay prompt, "What is the role of magic in A Christmas Carol and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Is magic used as a force for good and evil? Use examples from the stories to support your answer. I should see a well-developed 3-5 paragraph essay.

"Magic playz in Christmas Carol because some people dont believe in magic but magic is real. Chris Angels does magic all you have to do is learn magic then you can show your friends that magic is real then they can believe you when you show them. Then you can show everybody you know.

Magic is interesting because you will be popular and everybody will think your cool. But you shouldnt tell know body except your friend. If you tell alot of people they will tell a lot of there friends. Then everybody will know then they will tell you, to do this and do that and you will get tired of them asking you that everyday you see them. You can do anything with magic.

You can do anything with magic because that what magic is. Cant knowbody stop you magic unless you make yourself knot like magic anymore. You can stop doing it. You can pass it to somebody else. See how they like magic."

And yes... this essay has absolutely nothing to do with the role of magic in A Christmas Carol or A Midsummer Night's Dream. But this student wrote three paragraphs that sort of make sense. Which is a big step from the beginning of the year. So... what to think. Am I a horrible teacher? Probably. But I have seen my students growing. And that gets me up in the morning (ungodly early in the morning, mind you).

(That, and it is almost the end of the semester!)