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[tired of grading]

I got so fed up with grading I had to stop for a while.
I have begun to draw pictures on the papers, and to use colored pens and highlighters.  It is kind of fun, and makes it less boring.  (I don't write or draw anything a student could possibly complain about -- just helps me stay with the grading process for a few papers more than I otherwise would be able to.)

Highlighters are helpful to use with the rubric.  I highlight the item on the rubric where the student is coming up short -- then I highlight the place in the paper that corresponds to the rubric item.  Saves my hands from cramping since highlighting does not use the fine motor muscles (or whatever they are called) as much as writing even a one-word comment.

[%sig%]

[hmm]

final papers?   use check, minus, plus in the margins, and put 'see me for further elaboration' next to the grade, and do nothing further.  of course, this is just my tactic, because i generally have only 2 people that come and get their final papers out of 40 in the class, so i refuse to spent hours marking each one up only to throw them out in 3 years.

[taking a break]

Yes that sounds good.  But I return final papers at the final exam, and students in this department have to have lots of ink on their papers or they insist they deserve an A.  The ink, comments, rubric, pictures, arrows, etc are all defensive on my part.  Tenure would help, but does not look like it is a possiblity.  (Tenure track would help some, but not much.)

[%sig%]

[hmm]

sounds like a bad place to be :(   you might rethink your strategies in the future.

[taking a break]

Thanks.  I constantly re-think strategies.  There has got to be a better way.  I have made some improvements in effeciency of grading and I have a couple of ideas for next semester.  For one thing I am re-designing my rubric so it does not need as much detailed work to grade.  I am also lowering the number of outside papers required (WR course for undergrads, so there is a word quota set by the university.)

I use shorthand comment marks (symbols, etc.) in margins, but check and minus might be quicker.



I think it will also help if I am not teaching so many courses; next year, for the first time, I have been told I will have a normal load (3/3 instead of 4/4).
Teaching, in one semester, 2 WR courses and two grad courses that emphasize writing is a b***h.

[%sig%]

[shortcutter]

I always return final papers without comments and announce to the class that anyone who requires comments can bring their papers back to me the first week of next semester (or, if it's May, leave them with me until after graduation and about a week of vacation), and I will give them comments then.  No one ever does.  I also do a lot of dropping papers in campus mail after they've already left for the break, so they either get them next semester or, if they've graduated, papers are forwarded later.

[taking a break]

I'll give some of these suggestions a try.  Unfortunately, I emphasize writing and how feedback is a good thing, and many of the students want tons of it (particularly the graduate students).
Thanks!

[%sig%]

[If you don't want to do it ...]

You emphasize writing feedback, but you hate doing the work?

You sound like a good candidate for martyrdom.

I suggest listening to yourself, and taking appropriate action.



taking a break wrote:

> I'll give some of these suggestions a try.  Unfortunately, I
> emphasize writing and how feedback is a good thing, and many of
> the students want tons of it (particularly the graduate
> students).
> Thanks!
>

[%sig%]

[anon]

Martyrs die because they choose to die for what they believe in, usually a religious belief.  The original word meant something like "witness."

I hardly think a bunch of lazy, coddled, irresponsible students are worth dying for.

Not having to live in a homeless shelter is one reason to be grateful for a job and to do things one does not want to do, but there are times and there are times.  

Burnout is a modern concept.  I don't think the original martyrs would have recognized the idea, but I think it is more relevant in this kind of situation.

[%sig%]

[need the break]

Just got a job for 2006 so the break is desperately needed to prepare.

Feel excited and a little nervous too! :)

[Prytania]

Congratulations!

[to need the break]

Good on you!  Hope it goes well.

[%sig%]

[Ross]

We were SO on a break!