Marking takes up a lot of a teacher’s time. If you’re able to get through it quickly, the more time you will have to concentrate on other things. You might even find that you’re able to have some free time to yourself! Follow these handy tips to help you to become a marking pro:
- Work through it systematically. Have a thorough to-do list that tells you exactly what you need to do, and when. This will show you what your priorities are, allowing you to mark the work that is most urgent.
- Learn the mark scheme and make full use of it. If you know exactly what you’re looking for in a pupil’s work, you will be able to find it more quickly. Using the tools available to you is an important part of marking accurately.
- Put systems in place to make it easier for you. For example, if the children you teach have to follow certain templates to make sure that they’re answered the question properly, get them to underline the parts that show specific things. This will show where the information they consider to be important is located and you will be able to deal with that immediately. You could even ask them to colour code their work, making it more colourful and interactive for them and easier for you to read..
- Practice makes perfect. Whilst marking might seem like a long and complicated process now, it doesn’t always have to be. You will get quicker and it will get better naturally over time. You might have to be a little bit patient, but it will pay off.