New Year's Resolution

This post is long overdue.  I finally am making myself sit down and put this into writing!  So here it goes....

My new year's resolution is to stop bringing home papers to grade.  That's right.  I said it.  No more grading papers at home!  No more dragging papers to and from school!  

I decided that grading papers is just a stupid waste of time.  I'm not saying assessing your students is a waste of time, don't get me wrong.  I just think us teachers are doing it wrong!

Think about it for a minute.  Most schools use a standards based grading system.  That system doesn't mean averages and percentages.  It doesn't mean how many papers does little Johnny turn in on time.  It means, can little Johnny add and subtract?  Does he know how to write a sentence?  CAN he do it?  

We have to change our thinking.  Especially with all the new ways of teaching.  Think about it.

I spend about one hour a night planning math workshop.  ONE hour.  It's ridiculous to spend another hour grading math!  Especially when I teach 4 other subjects.  The amount of planning time has tripled in the last year- I am planning like crazy!  Also, we need time to analyze all that data...

There aren't enough hours in the day.  Something has to go.  Grading papers- what is the point?  I already have a system to know who has turned in what.  I already know what each kid can and cannot do- thanks to exit slips and small group work.  I already know what each kid excels and needs help on thanks to the 8 million tests we take.  So why the heck am I spending all this time grading?

Parents.  They need to see their child's work.  

Sure- valid point- but do they actually do that?  Do they need to see 10 papers that have a grade on it crammed into a Friday folder?  What if they only get one graded thing per subject, per week?  Do they even look at it?  The kids don't.  Well- I take that back.  Some do.  They really look forward to getting big projects back with a grade on it.  

HOW CAN WE TEACHERS GRADE LESS???

That is what I am going to focus on and come up with a solution.  BTW, I teach 6th grade.  All subjects.  If you have any ideas, please comment below!

Check out my latest YouTube Vlogs; 

Save your feet

GRADING