STRESS FREE written homework Mega Check

Checking your students homework can be stressfull when you have a lot of children to handle. Even though I do look through my kidos' workbooks every lesson and pay their attantion to some detailes, there is one time a month when the Earth stops, sun never rises and stars do not shine. Well, at least my kids think about it this way. They call this day of the month "The Mega Check".

Basicly, it's just a regular homework check, when they hand in their workbooks and copybooks (if they have those), then something happens and in the morning of the next day their workbooks are back in their classrooms. Mostly they are filled my short comments, graphs of some sort or anything like this, with marks for their work during this month. And also, yes, I put these marks into the class register ;)

Well, I was doing it in a hard way pretty long time. The main problem for me was to keep those marks in order and to have them under my fingertips when I need them without searching through their workbooks or looking for it in the register. It is much more easier, when there is some check list, when you can put everything there and to keep it clean. I have one for you too!

Here I have this sheet designed for 3 students. You have date and place for short comment or mark, if needed. These ones last me right about a semester, so the next one I glue directly on the old one, or just change it, it is not a big deal. This tip (or material if you will) is just a techical part of the "Mega Check"

Now the "teacher" part. To do my job quickly and without stress, I use couple of tips to save my day.

1. Usually I do "on the go" checking. It means, that when I move around classroom, I move kids' workbooks with me, checking and doing daily stuff in classroom or in teachers' lounge. Yes, it cuts "talk time" with your colegues, because it is obviously usless to talk to somebody who is constantly focused on his work, but sometimes we loose too much time doing nothing and talking about nothing. We need that rest, but just not overreward yourself with this pleaseruble I-do-nothing minutes at work.

2. When it comes to checking students' books, when I'm sitting on one place, I get bored very quick and as a result I do work slower. So I devide my huge pile in smaller piles of stuff and do 5 minutes brakes in between them. I stretch myself up, take a deep breath or take a cup of coffee.

3. Take some advices from the Cult of Pedagogy booklet 20 Ways to Cut Your Grading Time in Half  it is free and handy. Love it really much!

Here you have it! Have an awesome week!