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kimskorner4teachertalk.com |
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HOW TO
SIMPLIFY
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 | Grade whatever you can in
class. Anything that has an exact answer can be graded by
students. This will take care of some of the grading and
give students immediate feedback. Have the students trade
papers, sign the papers they grade, and use a special
color of pen to mark the paper. When you are finished
going over the answers, have the grader write the number
of incorrect items at the top of the paper and return it
to the owner. The owner of the paper should look at the
paper and bring any disputed marking to your attention
immediately for a final decision. Pick up the papers and
record them in the grade book when you have time. Vary
the direction that students trade papers so that the same
person doesn't grade a student's paper every time. I
don't recommend this method of grading for tests and
quizzes, as they are more important than daily work. |
| For some assignments give a
zero or 100% grade. If the student completes the
assignment, assign full credit. If the student fails to
complete the assignment, assign a zero. You can give
partial credit for partially completed assignments.
Review the assignment in class so that the students get
feedback on the assignment; otherwise the assignment had
little value in the first place and probably shouldn't
have been assigned at all. |
| Break writing assignments
and other long projects into several small steps. Then
grade and record these steps in class as you move from
one student to another. This will give the students
immediate feedback. Also, a student is more likely to ask
a question as you check an assignment, than if you just
wandered around the room or sat at your desk. Also, more
students will be on task because they know you will be
checking on them. You can conference with any students
who are not on task or have fallen behind. It sounds so
simple, but it really works. Try it. Would you like to see an example of a
writing assignment that has been broken down into steps
and organized into a timeline?
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| Require peer conferences on
any assignments and projects that you can. The students
may not catch all of the mistakes, but they will catch
many of them, which will make it easier on you in the
long run. I have students do this at least twice and
include it as part of the above suggestion. I also
require that students get a signature from each person
that conferenced with them. The students will soon figure
out which students do a better job and seek them out.
This won't put those students too far behind, because
their papers will be good to start with. I'll never
forget when a student announced very loudly, "You
need to take your paper to Crystal. She'll mark all over
it!" Of course there are students who will be
offended by another student's remarks, but I solve this
problem by telling the students in advance that they are
in ultimate control of their own papers. They don't have
to follow someone else's suggestions, but then they are
also responsible for their own grade. |
| Have the students create a class notebook where they
keep class handouts and small assignments. Pick up the notebooks once
every two to three weeks and give credit for what is in the notebook.
Create a checklist of what is to be in the notebook, in what order, and how
many points are possible for each item and the total for the notebook. Give
this paper to the students to organize their notebooks before turning them
in to you, but have them return the checklist with their notebooks so you
can use it to tally the grade. Instead of being bogged down with
grading and recording several small assignments, you'll spend about 1-3
minutes per notebook and only have one grade to record. |
| Classroom
Grading Aid -- figure percentages with this easy tool -- found at MrsPerkins.com |
| Ten
Simple Strategies for Grading Writing -- found at the Center for
Research on Learning and Teaching |
| Escaping
the Paper Grading Trap -- found at Education World |
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kimskorner4teachertalk.com This site last updated 14 November 2007. External links last verified 2 September 2007. All material at this site copyright ©
1997-2007, Kimberly Steele,
unless otherwise noted or credited. You may print and reproduce materials from
KIM'S KORNER FOR TEACHER TALK Feel free to link to KIM'S KORNER FOR TEACHER
TALK
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