Tips for marking student’s work…
Marking students work is a common ‘you either love it or hate it job’. The challenges that come with marking students work vary depending on age group. In the early years, there is not a lot of content, but it may be difficult to read or decipher work. In the older years, the volume of work to mark is usually the struggle for teachers. No matter where you sit on the spectrum, marking is something every teacher needs to do. We’ve put together some tips for you to follow when marking work.
Set yourself targets
If you work to and set out targets at the start of a term, it can help to motivate you to get the actual work done. Why not key in dates throughout the term that you intend to dedicate to marking work?
Organisation is key
When marking work, make sure you have all of the resources available to aid you. Splitting books up into different piles or folders can help you to log when work was last marked. You could also keep a list of the students that could be potentially struggling in class.
Invest in tools to make marking easier
Using stamps to mark work can save you time and make students feel good when they see a brightly coloured stamp in their workbook. You could also use different colour pens when suggesting feedback, or praising the student. Stickers are also an option.
Mark regularly
Marking regularly will help you to stay on top of your workload and make sure you’re not overwhelmed as your targets loom. It’ll also help you to understand and spot any difficulties students experience as and when they arise.
Print out marking guidelines
Be sure to always have marking guidelines to hand when assessing work. Regularly refer back to them.
Move Online
In recent years many websites have become popular that allow students to complete tasks online. In turn, these websites provide students with a grade at the end their project or task. MyMaths is a great example of this. Utilising these websites will save you time marking for certain subjects, but not all!
Make yourself comfortable
If you have a more significant marking task ahead of you, like an assessment etc., choose an environment you like to work best in and do it there. It might be sitting in a café, in a comfy chair at home, or on a table outside.
Mark in batches
Often marking a whole class’s work at once can be overwhelming. By splitting these workbooks into batches, it allows you to stay motivated when trawling through work.
Praise students
When marking work, be sure to praise students for their good work. This can be just as good for students as criticism. It inspires them to continue learning and producing good work.