Wow! It's Already November...

It's hard to believe that we've completed 2 months of school and it's already November.  The year seems like a blur.  My biggest challenge is the large class size.  I have four classes with at least 25 kids and one with 21.  I can't think of a year when I have ever had so many kids.

Grading the work of so many students is definitely the most time-consuming aspect of my job. However, there aren't many other ways to hold students accountable for their learning.  Plus, the information I gather when I grade papers helps me gauge my effectiveness as a teacher.  I have a few strategies I use to make sure the  time and effort I put into evaluating my students' work is meaningful to them.

When correcting papers, I use green ink instead of red.   Some where I read that the color red is often associated with negative feelings and may have an impact on the students' perception of feedback.

I have a code to use in the margins of papers to signal errors in paragraph style or grammar. I once read that students learn more when they must locate an error themselves than if I circle their misspelled words or insert correct punctuation for them. The code for the error must be on the line in which the error occurs. This year I made a list of my codes and distributed it to each student.  Here are some of my sample codes:

• sp - spelling error
  
• p - punctuation error
  
• ss - sentence structure (confusing, poorly constructed)

I try to return papers within 2-3 days this year.  Research shows that the more time that elapses between completing an assignment and receiving feedback on that task, the less meaningful the feedback becomes.  The biggest challenge here is with DBQs!

When I return graded assignments, I give a brief overview of the positive aspects of the assignment as well as areas that need improvement. I think this gives students a better idea of what I was thinking and looking for when grading their papers.

To save time I've discovered that grading papers as a class (with the exception of tests and subjective essays) can save hours of time.  This helps students more because it allows them to review the material another time. Students are also able to receive prompt feedback. I make sure the names of students are not visible on papers that will be graded by peers.   I use student numbers to protect the privacy of my students. Having students sign the papers they correct helps make them more responsible.  I let students know that I will be checking papers to ensure they are being graded accurately.

I try to keep in mind when I grade that the written comments mean a lot to students, often more than the grade at the top.  I try to always be positive and constructive. Here are a couple of examples of encouraging comments on students' essays:

• Your first sentence grabbed my attention!
  
• You support your argument with very strong evidence.

The other day the student observer in my classroom asked....
What do I say when students ask, "Does this assignment count?" It's a loaded question. If I say, "Not really, it's just practice to prepare you for the test, which does count," some students will not make their best effort. They may interpret my well-meant response to mean "No, this does not count, so don't worry about doing it."  In my opinion, even if the activity will not be graded, students need to know that their full participation is expected.