Responsibility 101

You're taking a class and the instructor says, "We're having a test on Monday," and hands out a study guide which she tells you to fill in during class time. She tells the class, this is exactly the material that will be covered on the test.

Someone else asks, "Is it going to be an open book test?"

She says, "Maybe, I haven't decided yet."

Would you study or not? Would you assume that yes, it is going to be an open-book test?

I am the instructor in the equation. I gave my class an EASY test on Microsoft Outlook and Word yesterday. When creating the test, I carefully chose the questions from those the class has already answered in the lab assignments, not re-wording a single one. They grumbled and complained and whined for the whole two hours of the class. I left work feeling so frustrated and fried.

The questions were literally the same multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank questions they'd already done as a lab from the end of the chapters and then there was a more heavily weighted practical section that had tough things to do, like "send me an email."

I am not kidding.

Based on the amount of complaining, I knew the scores wouldn't be good and that I'd have to assign a low point value to the fill in the blank section to avoid most of the class failing. I did. Half a point each for 20 FIB questions.

Two people still failed.

My mood: disappointed and feeling failure-ish myself.

Questioning if I should be here at all

I've been really enjoying my job. Despite some self-doubt, wondering if I'm getting through to my students, I've loved the past couple of month and I've felt like I really found my niche, like I'd found my way onto the path where I am supposed to be. It's corny and cheesy but I can't think of another way to explain it.

Here's the situation, and any advice you can give me would be welcomed:

When I accepted the position, it was with the understanding that I'd get 20 hours per week. I bargained with HR chick to pay me five dollars more per hour than she offered because I needed it to be worthwhile for me to put my kids in daycare. I had to make enough to cover the cost of daycare.

On Thursday, I got an email saying that I could onlyclaim 12 hours per week on my time sheet and there was no budging. I was hired as an adjunct instructor and the school will only pay adjuncts for the time they spend in front of a class. I have 12 hours of class per week right now.

I argued my point with PD, about the time I spend coming up with class materials and grading work. They will only going to pay me for the time in front of students. It's incredibly unfair and I'm apparently the first person to challenge this policy.

I am so upset.

My son is finally getting settled into daycare. He loves it. I see so many changes in him, so much maturation in such a short period of time. What will it do to him to pull him out? I can't afford to keep my kids in daycare only working 12 hours per week.

I need to be working; financially and emotionally.

The tears are flowing. I am flipping out.