How do you return students' graded papers to them? Returning papers can take up so much time, there has to be a better way. Through the years, I've tried countless different ways but I have yet to find the perfect way. I'll share a few of the ways I've tried and then I'd love to hear your ideas. Maybe together we can solve this dilemma.
Mailbox System:
Each student is assigned a number (alphabetically). Students put their name and number on all assignments. My mailboxes were numbered so I didn't have to add names to the mailboxes each year - a definite plus. I graded papers and put them in a bin. Student helpers (mailmen) put the graded papers in the mailboxes. Some years I had my students collect their "mail" at the end of the day and other years mail gathered in the box until Friday when they took it home. The problem with this system is it can get crowded around the mailboxes. It can be time consuming to send a few students at a time to collect their mail. I tried assigning a group of students to get their mail on each day of the week. Example: Student #1-5 get their mail on Mondays, students #6-10 get their mail on Tuesday, etc. The problem with this system is what do you do when you have time sensitive papers that need to go home? I.E. test that needs a parent's signature
Weekly Folder:
With this system, I graded papers and stuffed them in folders that were sent home on Fridays. This system, by far, took the least amount of class time. Ya for that! But . . . drum roll . . . it took many hours, hours of my personal time, to stuff the folders. Think of how much time two students helpers spend a week stuffing the mailboxes. Then take that times two since there are two students mailing the papers when there is only one of me and you can see why this system is so time consuming. The glitches to this system is what do you do when students forget to return their folders? The big positive about this system is parents knew graded papers were coming home on Friday. The consistency factor of this system is a major plus! Signatures on tests and other required paperwork came back from parents better with this system.
Wrap Up:
Wrap up was the last 15 minutes of the day. Students were assigned jobs to do during wrap up. One of the jobs was passing back graded papers. The plus of this system was students got feedback (grades) quicker. When graded papers went home on Fridays, the papers weren't always looked at which is a shame because students miss out on an opportunity to learn from their mistakes. The other thing that happened with this system is I often found graded papers on the floor after students left at the end of the day. Paperwork that required parents' signatures did not come back as readily with this system.
How do you return your students' work?
8 comments:
Since I teach 8th graders, I make it a classroom job to return papers. I have magnetic folders that hang up in the classroom and it is the "Paper Returner"'s job to see that there are papers to be returned and find time to return them. Usually they do this while we are going over the Warm-Up and it is surprisingly not a huge distraction because the class is focused on me going over the Warm-Up and not the student passing back papers. If they finish a classwork assignment or test early, they will return papers then too. This is the best way I have found to get those papers returned.
That's a good idea! I like it!
I teach kindergarten. To collect papers, I have my kids push their papers to the center of their large circle tables into a stack. A child then goes to each table, picks up the papers, and brings them to me. I send home a daily folder and put in papers that I don't want to keep as evidence of learning. The parents sign conduct at the end of the week, and usually I get time-sensitive things signed! It works for me. Thanks for giving me some other ideas to think about!!
Sarah
Miss A's Kindergarten
I 'grade' papers in front of students and return to them immediately with feedback.
If this is not something you can do, have you thought of doing table/team baskets? This way you can collect them from the team basket and then return to the same basket. the kiddos can find their own paper and help save a little bit of time. You could even have a team captain that is in charge of collecting the papers for you.
Maybe...?!
Kristen
I do, We Do, You Do!
I return work in the same manner. Your mailbox idea is my file folder system on the back counter where important papers are stored and taken home in a weekly folder once a week to be signed by parents. I include a 2way communication log in the folder so parents can ask specific questions about the papers that come home. It works out great and is excellent documentation!
Always A Lesson
I started doing "Weekly Work Packets" a few years ago and I love them! I have a file box with hanging files with each child's name on it. Throughout the week as I grade stacks of papers I file them away under each child's name. (I also always make sure my parent helpers know where the box is. Most of the time if they come in and see I am busy they just go to the box and start filing!) At the end of the week I staple a progress report to the front with any important papers and send them home Monday morning. I get a lot of comments from parents that they love this system, they always know just how their child is doing with the progress report (I include reading fluency, math facts fluency, and behavior reports) and they know they are getting all the papers in one nice organized stack! It takes a little organization but pays off in the end!
I like Heather's method. I'm sure parents appreciate the regular updates.
In my First Grade classroom, we use mailboxes with folders inside. Like many others I have student helpers file the papers usually.
In addition to this method, I have a KEEP WORKING file. This is where I put any incorrect or incomplete work. Students work on these items when they complete tasks early or I will send home a packet with a note to parents that their child may need some more assistance on their homework. I find students really improving their mistakes when they see how many papers have the same mistakes...
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