I set the guidelines on one particular quiz. I gave the instructions. I was clear with what I said.

• ...bla bla bla is case sensitive. BE CAREFUL!

• ...one wrong character will make the answer wrong.

• ...wrong spelling wrong.

• and so on...

I did the setting of guidelines and explaining the instructions in hope of reducing my workload. The canvas will be in charge of automatically grading the students. The thing is, some students will still pester you with pleas like:

• Ma'am, hindi po ba ito considered? (Ma'am, is this not considered?) (Then sends screenshot of what he/she is referring to.)

• Ma'am, I have accidentally clicked the submit button. Can I have another take of the quiz?

• We have brownout in our place. I lost the data of my quiz. What will I do?

• and so on...

To cut my predicament in short, a human teacher is still needed to deliberate on things that the machine can't deliberate on.

I honestly don't like situations like this one which is why I set things up in the very first place. I already gave them a lot of considerations and reminding but it seems they insist on being considered every time. It's hard crossing students just because situations now aren't the same as before. One wrong move with this might put me in a difficult situation forever.

Maybe, I want to play safe forever as well. I think this is a character that is wrong in me as a teacher. Should I consider everything they ask of me? Or stick to my guidelines like a robot? I have already considered the first few cases, should I consider every single request for the sake of fairness?

What I did with the very recent requests was to tell them to wait for my deliberation. I am giving myself two weeks. They must have to wait patiently. That is the mountain for them for this time. I hope I won't be able to keep repeating myself to them. But is that even something to say? It is a must to keep repeating everything. I don't know how they are being raised now. I have no right to be saying this but I just can't help it.

Anyway, here are some anecdotes for you dear readers.

1. Teacher should just answer until student gets the point

Teacher: Reminder, class. Please see to it that you include in your PC components all those parts that are needed for the setup to function. You may not include add-ons anymore. Stick to the budget and don't go over it. You may resubmit your works if you think you have made an error in your quotations.

Student 1: So, Ma'am, are we still going to proceed with our quotation even if we exceed the budget?

(Teacher explains again...)

Student 1: Is it okay then, Ma'am, to resubmit?

Student 2: Could you please just read first the message of our teacher line by line?!

2. Teacher should just make an effort to explain things over and over

A student asks teacher about the ways on how to secure an admission slip. Teacher sends the comprehensive guidline. Student asks next all those that are in the guideline.

3. Mamas could also be confused

Mama was guiding her child with his module. She told him to answer with 'true' or 'false' depending on whether the statement is correct or incorrect. She was reading a statement that is incorrect based on the lesson discussed in his module. She asked her son's answer and he said 'false.' She got mad at him repeating the wrong statement. She asked for his answer for the second time, he answered the same. She then reprimanded him saying that the answer should be false. He then got very puzzled, "Mama! I gave 'false' as an answer because the statement is incorrect. Where did I go wrong?"

Mama thought for a very long time. She thought, "Where did I go wrong as well?"

There you go, I hope you enjoyed and laughed at my anecdotes!