Most teachers spend the entire weekend grading last minute papers, averaging, and preparing report cards. Follow these tips and save yourself a little time (and SANITY).
Try not to plan any major tests, or have projects due any later than the Wednesday before the end of the six weeks. Otherwise, you're going to find yourself grading a ton of papers before you can ever average grades!
The best time for tests & project due dates is either the Friday, Monday, or Tuesday BEFORE the last day of the six weeks.
If you are behind on your grading, take a group of papers home each night until the end of the six weeks. That way you spread it out over a week rather than a weekend!
YES! Special Education, Art, Music, P.E., Gifted/ Talented, ESL, and other special classes MUST give you their grades. If you really want a jump start, drop these teachers a note and politely ask, if they possibly can, to give you the grades early. The worst they can do is say no!
You've taken all of your major grades, but there are still two or three days left in the six weeks right? What can you do?
Use those days to do presentations of projects.
Do critical thinking strategies & puzzles.
Give students a short project they can work on over the remaining days of the six weeks. For example: Have them design the perfect classroom, or something else. Let them work in teams & require written specs., a visual & a short presentation.
Have students do some creative writing on their own, in small groups, or as a class.
Do some team building activities.
Assign a mini research project.
Secondary Teachers:
Most middle & high school grades are turned in on a bubble sheet (scantron). If you are lucky, you can turn yours in on a computer disk. However, if you don't want to spend the ENTIRE weekend filling in tiny circles, bubble in the conduct grade, "special classes" grades, and other miscellaneous stuff a little at a time over the last week of the grading period.
If you have to bubble in your grades on a scantron sheet, make sure you erase any mistakes as fully as possible. Those sheets are very testy & you may have to redo it if the machine can't read it clearly.
Elementary Teachers:
Take a few minutes here & there during each day of the last week to fill in as much other information as you can: name, semester, date, conduct, work habits, comments, etc. It will make life that much easier if all you have to do is write in the grades over the weekend!
REMEMBER:
You still have to be ready to start the next six weeks on Monday or Tuesday after report card weekend! Have you planned for the next six weeks?
Get yourself organized by outlining topics you plan to cover on a calendar. It forces you to think week by week & day by day. Don't get detailed - just write down the topic (ex: graphing, OR how to essay, etc.).
