Things I bet you didn't know

Every year when I am grading research papers, I learn so many new facts. I'm quite sure that you never knew them either. This year has been no exception. I decided that I didn't want to keep all of the valuable nuggets of information to myself, so I'm here to share with you some of the things I've learned over the past couple of weeks.

First of all, in a paper about the Harlem Renaissance, I learned that:

• W. E. B. DuBois was a musician who became full-blown junkie in his later life and that nothing anyone did could help him kick his habit. Having never heard this before, I did a quick google search and pulled up the NAACP website about Mr. DuBois. Nowhere on their site did I find mention of this horrible habit. So either they are unaware that one of the pioneers of the Civil Rights movements became entangled in drugs or they choose to ignore that fact and focus on all of the positive things he did for the African American people or the student was trying to blow smoke up my ass. I'm voting for #3.
• The same student said that C. J. Walker was also a dope head who wrote poetry. Oh yeah. C. J. was a man. Hmmm...I wonder where the Madam comes from. I guess the C. J. Walker I'm thinking of who made millions because of her hair products was a different one.
• ***The really sad thing about this is that this particular student is an African American male. His grandmother is employed by our school system in the central office, and she knowledgeable about her culture. Apparently, she didn't pass that along to her grandson.
• ***These comments aren't direct quotes because I graded that paper at school yesterday. The actual sentences make very little sense.

About brain cancer:

• "A sexual headache can be very strange but it is right before orgamism and is believed to be a vascular headache." (Not really sure what an orgamism is. Surprisingly, if you google it, you will actually get some hits. It didn't help in determining what one is, though. LOL)
• A rash can conclude a rare condition, such as ringworm or contact dermatitis.

About panic attacks:

• Some doctor will give you something that is called SSRIs. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors is a drug that helps patients feels more alive and controls their movements from panic attacks. (Hmm...control their movements from panic attacks??)
• ***Granted this student has an IEP, so her paper is really not good. However, she worked her BUTT off the entire time we were doing research. She was in the library or in my room every available minute working, asking questions, or getting clarification. Even though her paper is not very good, she followed EVERY step correctly, and got a passing grade on it. I tell them OVER and OVER that if they will DO AS I ASK THEM, they can and will pass the paper!

I have so many other great nuggets, but the other papers are at school, and I don't remember all of them. I don't think I'll ever forget about W. E. B. DuBois and MADAM C. J. Walker, though.

Allergies have driven me insane today, so I'm about to call it a day. Oy, it's not even 7:00. Still, day's done for this chick.

As always, have a GREAT day!