Mark Knockemus grades a lot of papers.
Forgoing the calculator, the Northeastern Technical College English Instructor breaks out the pencil and paper and calculates that the average semester sees about 1,000 pages (give or take) of student work among the classes he teaches.
“That’s a lot,” he said leaning back in the chair examining his math. “That doesn’t count the discussion forums.”
The key to staying on top of grading papers is maintaining a system, he said, which has changed from the days of pen and paper to the digital age.
Knockemus, a mainstay at NETC, has taught English courses for 25 years. He joined the college full time in 1999 after two years of teaching adjunct classes in Aiken. No matter what pathway a student is taking at the college, many of them go through his English course.
Knockemus teaches about 150-180 students a semester – he has instructed small classes of four to standing room only of 43 students (especially when NETC’s Associate Degree in Nursing program began).
Some of his best students come from the classes he teaches in the prison system, an experience that was life-changing for him.
“One semester, a class at the prison fell behind due to prison lock downs. I didn’t want that to happen to them. During my spring break, I gave up my time off to catch-up and keep the inmates completing course on time,” he said. “And we did.”
At the end of the course, the inmates learned Knockemus sacrificed his time for them.
“Each one of them got in line to shake my hand,” he said. “I was stunned.”
Knockemus has an affinity for teaching and credits the college and Dean of Arts and Sciences Dr. Lisa Johnson entrusting him with the freedom to educate students from every corner of the service area – and inadvertently from out of the country.
After 10 years teaching English, Knockemus expanded into religious studies in which his office is displayed with various holy books and religious artifacts.
“I’ve always been interested in how different cultures and people celebrate their faiths,” he said.
As part of developing online courses, Knockemus created a library of 396 lectures and instructional videos available on YouTube.
The purpose was to provide instruction for students available 24 hours a day but was pleasantly surprised when he first began receiving emails with follow-up questions from around the globe.
“It’s amazing to field questions from someone from Moraco or the European Union about short fiction,” Knockemus said.
More math: Knockemus’ YouTube channel has about 1,320 subscribers with more than 43,000 views.
NETC offers English Composition 1, English Composition 2, American Literature 1, American Literature 2, Communications 1, and World Literature, as well as Introduction to Religion. All English courses offered by NETC are transferable to four-year colleges.
For more information, visit online at www.netc.edu
