Motivate!

Today after hours of grading we showed the kids their midterm grades, many many of which were under 50%. What amazed me about this was how eager they were to see their grades, even those that hadn't tried at all or left three-quarters of their tests blank. They expect to somehow perform alchemy... turning the leadenness of their participation and work ethic into the gold of a passing grade. Or something like that.
Here's the thing: I am growing really really fond of my kids. Even the "bad" ones. I really like them and am beginning to see the good in most of them. I am definitely definitely favoring the boys because i find them more pliable and earnest and less self-possessed and shut off from me. I find them all, gender regardless, charming despite myself. This will probably come back and slap me in the face but for now it's making my daily grind less of a grind. That having been said, I am trying to teach them Shakespeare's sonnet 138 tomorrow, and I'm scared! Very, very, scared.