It’s that time of year. Progress reports are due and I am spending some quality time snuggled up with papers. So how do I make my grading experiences great? Let me tell ya! Here are five tips and tricks that make my life easier!
Quick Computation:
I love this little paper. It’s two sided and in a plastic sleeve for durability. I created this because the real EZ-Grader is really hard to read and is not color coded. But mine works great for me and if you think it will work great for you, then by all means, download it for free.
Grade-It Drawer
Click here for Learning In Wonderland’s Freebie!
Grade Book Order:
This is something that I started last year and I am 100% sure it is not a new idea, but it was new to me when I dreamed it up. You see my district is now forcing us to use computerized grader. So it’s a hassle to scroll up and down and to find a kid’s name on the computer screen. Then, it hit me. Just have them line up in grade book order!!! Well hello!!!! Now, as I input grades, the papers in my hand match the ABC order on the computer screen!
Grade book order can be a BIG challenge in first grade since you are asking them not only to line up, but line up in a particular order. So I made a color-coded chart for the kids to look at. The chart colors matches our sit spot rug {seen above}.
The kids bring their papers and sit. Sitting is VERY important. It allows the kids to see the chart and see their spot on the ground. Then they hand in their papers one row at a time-pink row first, orange row, yellow row and so on. It works like a charm. I can’t show you my REAL chart because it has the real kids name’s on it. So I made a new one with all my favorite characters!
Happy Kids and Teachers use smelly markers:
I love both Mr. Sketch and Scentos. The minute I grade something the kids smell their papers. I love that! When I am grading at home it makes me happier too. It’s the small things that make me happy I tell you!
Grade as they work:
Lots of times, I am running around the room grading their papers as they work. I circle incorrect answers and they can fix them instantly. In giving feedback right away I stop them from doing the whole task wrong.
My point in being a teacher is not to catch them being incorrect, but teach them to come to the correct answers. For example, I do this during spelling tests. If I notice a child putting capital letters where they don’t belong, I circle it on the spot and talk with them really quietly, so they stop doing this. I can have the conversation in the moment when it really matters, or I can have it after the fact. It makes more sense to have it now. If I collect papers to grade and the kids have fixed their mistakes already, I just write fixed in class. This way the parents don’t think I have lost my mind and circled correct answers.
OOOPS! I did it again!
Ever circle something that actually WAS a correct answer? Yep, me too! Just write a letter “K” next to your circle and it turns the whole thing into a big OK.
