While I was moving at a brisk pace (according to the tracker which logs every minute I'm on and the number of essays I've graded), I still spared the time to lament about the things that the online Reading lacks compared to the on site version. The biggest is, of course, not getting to spend time with the friends that I've made over the years. However, small things were also niggling at my comfort.
I miss being able to turn to the person next to me to either ask for advice on an essay or to point out something amusing that a student wrote. I miss getting to hand in my tally sheet with my completed folder so my Table Leader knew exactly which points I awarded. Even if I got something wrong, we would know exactly what needed improvement. I miss getting a "thumbs up" after the TL checked my folder. I miss my own little tally of essays that I've graded (the computer keeps track of that now).
I miss the smell of thousands of recently sharpened pencils. There was something strangely comforting about the sound of thousands of educators quietly reading and marking exams. I even miss the frantic tabling clearing that would occur during the last half hour of the day.
This Reading is definitely a great deal more lonely.