Motivation for grading papers

amother

Thu, Mar 19 2015, 1:33 pm

(most of us have this issue in dieting, thats when you'll hear women ask how to get themselves to stick to a diet)

I know WHY I need to grade and what the BENEFITS are to grading papers immediately/timely fashion. Some of them are:
1) It makes the students happy to get their papers back
2) It allows the students to see their mistakes and apply to next test
3) It means that you dont have piles of grading
4) Makes report card time easier
5) You know which students are falling behind or which students need to be challenged

But when in reality I have NO motivation to grade papers. The knowledge of why I should do it, still doesnt make me do it. I have thought of rewarding myself the same way you do when you're dieting but that wont work for me. If I had a book I was in the middle I would sit on the couch now and read, NOT grade papers. Its a time management/persistence issue but as a teacher I bring it back down to "motivation" (rick levoie)

Any tips?

nicole81

Thu, Mar 19 2015, 1:46 pm

Do you have any intrinsic motivation to improve your craft and to be the best possible teacher that you can be? Grading papers is as much of a benefit for the students that is is for you if you are motivated to look for common errors, misconceptions, and gaps in learning which can them be used to modify curriculum and instruction, and to group the students more effectively.

Does that work for you?

If you don't have intrinsic motivation then I don't know what would work besides for sucking it up and accepting it as your duty. I don't know what kind of assignment this is, but if you don't already have one, make sure you have a clear rubric to go with every paper to make the criteria clear to you as well as facilitate grading. Students can also self-assess with a good rubric. If it's multiple choice, do you have access to a scantron at your school that you can use? If not, or if it's short answer, have students grade their own or each others' papers.

amother

Thu, Mar 19 2015, 2:23 pm

when I was teaching I needed to GET OUT to grade all those insane papers. So I would sit at the mall at a table and grade grade grade. somehow being out of the house and in that environment helped me, not sure why. I hope it helps you to read this! good luck! Hug

nicole81

Thu, Mar 19 2015, 2:25 pm

amother wrote:

great idea! I can imagine being so much more productive in a starbucks than in my own living room.