I am a grad assistant

Yes that is right I have been given the opportunity to be a grad assistant for my winter session course and it is an eye opening experience. Part of my responsibilities is grading papers and evaluating group presentations. It is a little odd as many of the students taking the course are friends of mine that I have spent 3 years in classes with. I found it strange that it is harder for me to grade their papers than to deal with them face to face as we critique their presentations. I am relieved to find that they have all been receptive to the comments and not defensive or hurt by the comments we have made about their performances. But when grading the papers I find it much more difficult to maintain an objective mind because I can not interact with them and let them know why I am grading them the way I am. Helpful advice given to me today was to always err on the side of grace. I have also gained a greater respect and admiration for my teachers seeing just a little bigger piece of what they endure while trying to help us grow and stretch our minds. Grading is difficult work. I want to maintain a high standard and expectation of the work I know college students should be capable of, but also be gracious and encourage them at the same time. God said that to those that much has been given much is expected, but we can each only work as best we can with what we have been given, so I am confronted with the thought of how do you judge fairly on a flat scale when each individual is gifted and talented in different and varied ways. How do I maintain a standard to judge and grade everyone by when God has made them all so different? As Paul tells us not all can be eyes of feet for the body needs all the different parts to work properly.