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As teachers, we spend countless hours marking student work when we would rather be doing just about anything else. Ever wonder, how can I make marking easier or faster?
In this post, I’m sharing 7 quick tips to save time on grading student work using my most effective marking strategies.
I don’t know about you, but the pile of student work needing assessment is my most dreaded part of teaching. Over many years, I’ve picked up a few strategies to streamline my marking process and, quite simply, just reduce the amount of marking in the pile.
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I have fellow teachers to thank for some of it, and my laziness to thank for the rest of it! Either way, I’m sharing a few quick assessment tips that will cut down on the time you spend grading papers so you can get back to family time ASAP!
TIP #1 – Get Multiple Grades from One Assignment
A lightbulb moment for me happened when my vice principal years ago told me that 4 good marks could be enough to make a final grade! And you can get multiple marks from one assignment.
Here in Ontario, we assess students according to the 4 achievement chart categories: Knowledge and Understanding, Application, Communication and Thinking.
When I create a rubric, write a test or develop Success Criteria for a project, I try to make sure I’m covering all four categories. My markbook also has room for 4 grades and notes for each assignment.
I shared in an Instagram reel a little while ago how I actually manage to get 4 – 6 marks from one assignment and show an example.
To clarify: I’m not saying you should base an entire final grade on one piece of work, I’m just saying you may not need to formally assess as many pieces as you think!
2 or 3 well-developed assignments combined with Tip #5 below will usually provide more than enough evidence.
TIP #2 – Create Answer Keys Before or During Class
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve created a form of assessment filled with questions. Then had to calculate all the answers again when I mark student responses.
As you create questions, record the answers. Or complete your own copy of a workpage while students work in class.
TIP #3 – Mark by Question Type not Students
When marking a test or assessment with multiple questions, mark question 1 for all students, then question 2 for all students and so on.
This took some getting used to as it felt like a LOT of unecessary page turning, but there are a couple of huge benefits to this marking strategy.
- It takes less brain power! Our brains can focus on the one question and answer, look fors and key indicators of success without having to keep switching around.
- Marking is subjective, I don’t care how detailed your rubric or specific your success criteria. Marking the same question for all students at the same time allows you to compare apples to apples (so to speak) and will make your assessments fairer.
- If you have to stop marking part way through and pick up again later, splitting the work by question and not by student will again make your grades more accurate across your class.
Want to save even more time on assessment?
Learn how to create an effective report card comment bank that will save you hours every report card season!
TIP #4 – Include Students in the Marking Process
Not only will this save you time, you’ll get some great insight from them! Using self- and peer-assessment not only saves you a ton of time marking after class, it’s also beneficial for students. They get to ask questions and you can explain anything they’re having difficulty with in ‘real time’.
- Take up work in class whenever possible (obviously not for major assignments and tests).
- Have students reflect about their own strengths, weaknesses, goals and learning skills.
TIP #5 – Use Class Time Wisely
Leading up to reports is a great time for some independent activities that let you knock some things off your to-do list.
Have occasional catch-up periods. Students will learn valuable self-directed work skills and you’ll be modelling them too.
Create a project students can complete with minimal support (make it engaging so you’re not having to redirect constantly).
Put on a movie! Should you do this all the time? No. But the odd movie won’t hurt and you can tie it in with curriculum.
- Compare and contrast a movie with a class novel.
- Extend learning in a Science or Social Studies unit.
- Incorporate Media Literacy expectations.
TIP #6 – You Don’t Have to Mark Everything
This might be my favourite time-saving marking strategy! Not every piece of student work needs to be formally assessed. I consider a lot of classwork, centre work and homework to be opportunities for practice.
We will take it up in class, I might just check for completion or I might scan it to check which students are understanding the concepts and which need more support.
TIP #7 – Use Observations as Assessment
I struggled with this one for a long time too. Anecdotal notes didn’t feel like ‘real’ assessment to me and I couldn’t figure out how to turn them into actual grades for a report card.
But after a few months with a tough class that just couldn’t handle whole group instruction, I realized that my observations and interactions in small guided groups were infinitely more valuable than anything I’d learn on a quiz or in an essay.
Small group instruction is invaluable but be sure to mix in one-on-one conferences too for assessment. These can be especially powerful for students who struggle to communicate their understanding in writing.
Always have a class list with space for notes on a clipboard handy and take notes during class (DO NOT wait until after, you’ll forget – ask me how I know…).
These notes can 100% be used to create final grades and double as evidence too.
And of course, all this is happening without the need to take a giant pile of papers home to grade!
How do you mark effectively? Let me know your top tips for reducing the time you spend marking so we can help each other make teaching a little easier!
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