Re: How to be a teacher and still have a life?
Posted by diane on 6/25/08
I am not sure if any of these ideas will help, but here they
are. I have been teaching at a Catholic school for 7 years
and have gotten smarter and more efficient each year. My
first year I had 42 students. I will have 31 next year and
an aide that both 4th grade teachers share. (we are
fortunate)
-I cover my bulletin boards with cloth material at the
beginning of the school year and do not change during the
year. At end of the year I clean and reuse. They look great.
-Math-I do not grade homework. I check in (actually a
student checks it in) and at the end of the semester I give
them one homework grade worth 100pts. I average each
homework assignment so they total 100. For example, if the
students have 20 assignments during the quarter each
assignment turned in is worth 5 points. It is very easy as I
just put a check in the grade book. Sometimes we grade the
papers in class, but again I do not grade the homework. The
only grades I use for report cards are tests, quizzes and
one homework grade. This may be the only time some students
will receive a 100% in math.
-In general I try and grade only tests and quizzes. English
grammar workbooks are reviewed and graded in class. I know
when I give a test or quiz who did the homework.
-I make a "grading slip" at the beginning of the year. I do
it in excel and make 3 copies on one piece of paper. I use
these for all sorts of record keeping. Since it has all the
students names on it I have a student who checks in
homework, or other things that need to be returned. The
students in 4th grade love to help and think it is great to
be the one that checks in homework. If you want a sample
email me and I will send you what I use. It works well.
-Another time saver I use is to give my students "packets"
that are used in subjects such as religion and social
studies. For example, at the beginning of the year I give
a "Ten Commandments Packet". It has 10 items the students
must complete along with a rubric. They may have to turn to
page 200 in their book and copy the Ten-Commandments on
lined paper, Draw a picture showing how you keep the 7th
Commandment, etc.....In social studies I give them one or
two a quarter and ask for definitions, pictures to color,
and questions to answer. They are easy to grade also.
-I have students change the calendar on the last day of each
month. Again, use your students to save you time and energy.
You know the responsible ones that can even check uniforms..
dp/San Diego
On 6/23/08, 4thteacher wrote:
> I've been teaching for several years, and it seems that I
> get more inefficient as time goes on. By this I mean that
> it seems like I work harder and longer and get less
> accomplished in the classroom. I am a good teacher, but I
> feel like I spend way too much time at my job. I'm tired
> of neglecting my family for 10 months each year. What is
> the secret to being an effective teacher and still having
> a life?
Posts on this thread, including this one
- How to be a teacher and still have a life?, 6/23/08, by 4thteacher.
- Re: How to be a teacher and still have a life?, 6/25/08, by Amy.
- Re: How to be a teacher and still have a life?, 6/25/08, by diane.
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