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Erin
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I'm in a season of change with our homeschooling and determined to try to 'keep my finger on the pulse.' One of our changes is that our three highschoolers are using textbooks for a few subjects, I realise that the best way to keep up with how they are going is to regularly mark their work. I'm afraid I am not doing as well here as I would like  So any tips? Any advice? I would dearly like to hear how you mark your children's work (if you do)
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Mackfam
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I keep a small file basket on my desk. Among the other folders, I keep a folder entitled *REVIEW* in my file basket on my desk. My big kids drop in work for me to review. If something just gets filed after I mark up the paper, I do that. If the paper needs attention from the child, it goes back in their basket.
** Math - is pretty straightforward. I do make note if a problem was missed because of careless work, or a page number I want the child to review.
** Formal writing projects - I make editing marks on the page as well as notes. I don't mark every writing assignment, only those that the children and I are taking through the editing process.
** Other work like grammar sentences are marked as well. I usually circle or make a mark next to errors to indicate that a child needs to make some kind of correction.
If your high schoolers are using texts for some subjects, Erin, you could set aside a place where they could leave their work and every day at a certain time you review and make notes on their work. The rule here at our house is that errors have to be corrected and reviewed before we move on to the next lesson. If work is sloppy or illegible - I send it back.
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Angel
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Erin,
If my ds is using a textbook, he checks his own work using the teacher's guide. He then reworks/redoes/looks up the explanation for anything he's missed. I try to sit down with him at that point and go over anything he doesn't understand and make *sure* he understands how he missed what he missed.
But I don't do a good enough job about this either. Ideally I'd be doing this every day, but unfortunately with some subjects (grammar, say) I don't. This is something I need to work into the schedule for next year. If I had a dedicated scheduled time for it, I think that would make doing it much easier.
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Mackfam
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Angel wrote:
Erin,
If my ds is using a textbook, he checks his own work using the teacher's guide. |
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Can I throw in a bit of hard learned experience?
I really love this idea and I do delegate some checking of work, but I wanted to share our experience as it relates to the temperament of a child, and in particular the phlegmatic child. Their desire to please coupled with intense situations sets them up to make choices to either (a) displease you with possibly poor marks or (b) make your life less stressful and not be what they perceive to be the cause of more anguish or stress. Their default setting is to choose (b).
Our situation was an extraordinary one - I was VERY sick, we were trying to keep up with basics, and I asked a phlegmatic child to check their own math answers with an answer key. I was so tired and barely (but most often not) keeping my head above water. I neglected my duty to stay on top of things and continue reviewing, even if this child was checking the answers. I learned that this child, desiring to offer me less stress and not cause problems, was not giving me an accurate picture of problems missed...at all.  By the time I figured things out this child had been carrying it long enough that it had become a huge burden. I learned that even if I delegated the checking of problems, I still had to be on top of daily reviews.
Anyway, all that to let you know that I've learned that a behavior which is natural/consistent with the child's temperament is good to consider. I could have helped this child by being consistent in reviewing the checked work. Of course, there were a number of great lessons for us: unconditional love no matter your mistakes, honesty, fidelity to duty (my lesson)...but I'm mentioning our experience so it can be considered.
Hope it was ok to share this, and that I didn't imply anything except that this was an experience we had. 
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Jen Mackintosh
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Erin
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Mackfam wrote:
| If your high schoolers are using texts for some subjects, Erin, you could set aside a place where they could leave their work and every day at a certain time you review and make notes on their work. The rule here at our house is that errors have to be corrected and reviewed before we move on to the next lesson. If work is sloppy or illegible - I send it back. |
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Ah this is the problem, self-discipline So what time of the day/night do you find best to mark work? I'm tempted to send back sloppy but... some dc would be re-doing at lot. But then if I was on top of it more ie. reminding them more  I know the problem would reduce.
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MarilynW
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Erin - great question. Something I am always trying to improve. My system depends on:
1. age of child
2. subject
3. season of life
My aim is for them to be really take on self-education by the teens. I review a lot at the beginning of the school year - and set expectations. eg. math has to be properly laid out with explanations and neat solutions. Writing has to have outlines, drafts and final copies well organized. Assignments have to be legible. For my teen I then move to weekly reviews. For written assignments (which we had A LOT of this year) she just emailed me various drafts - I reviewed and discussed with her.
Math - everyone grade 5 and up grades their own and I review daily to see what mistakes are being made. (except high school). I grade weekly tests.
Writing - I always grade. Assignments go through several drafts - to reach a final version. The older children all type up their writing assignments - so editing is easier. We have a folder of finished products that they like to share with their dad.
History/Geography - I review weekly to see that they have done the planned work - books read, mapwork, timelines etc.
Grammar/logic/latin - grade 5 and up grade their own work. I review daily.
This year I have tried to review as close to the work being done as possible - i.e. immediately for the little guy, daily and weekly for the older ones. In seasons where I have not been well, I have really fallen behind and it makes the review less relevant.
As I am planning my daily schedule for next year - I am trying to build in review every afternoon - rather than leaving it to late at night or Sundays.
Also - wanted to mention that each child has a planner or schedule with the work detailed - they are supposed to check off the work when done. I review these daily.
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Erin
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MarilynW wrote:
As I am planning my daily schedule for next year - I am trying to build in review every afternoon - rather than leaving it to late at night or Sundays.
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This is where I think I am headed, I intend on the weekends but it doesn't happen. I'm thinking every afternoon at a set time would be less daunting.
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Erin
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Well as we head into a new school year I confess I have made little progress in this area since I wrote back in May last year.
If you have any prayers to spare I'd dearly love some as I endeavour to be more vigilant this year.
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Becky Parker
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Erin, I will pray for you in this regard, pray for me too, okay?!  I have the same problem.
I was thinking about this last night so I think it's pretty neat that I came on line this morning and here you are asking about the same thing! I remember a piece of advice Jen had given me regarding something totally different, but I think it applies here -
"Try to make it intuitive"
So, that's what I'm trying to figure out right now ... how to make the marking of my kids work, work for me. What is most intuitive? When will it happen most naturally for me?
At first I told the kids to bring me their assignments as soon as they're completed. My intention was to drop whatever I was doing, check the finished work, then go on. Well, that is probably the best way to do it for me, but I have these highly distractable boys and if I have to stop in the middle of their phonics lesson to check my dd's work, I'll never find them again!
I thought about how I managed to check all my student's work when I was a classroom teacher. I usually did it in the evenings while I sat watching a tv show with my dh. That, however, was before we had any children and I was young with lots of energy! Now, by the time the kids are in bed, I'm pooped. Not to mention I usually have a nursing baby in my arms.
Short answer - I haven't figured it out yet!
I need self-discipline, but I also need to find the time, when I actually have some energy, to do it. Sigh. 
(I guess I could do it in the wee hours of the morning, but then, I wouldn't be able to come on line and talk about when I could grade my kid's work! )
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JodieLyn
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I don't have the highschoolers yet.. but I've trained the children that they don't move on until the work has been checked.. so having a child standing there waiting on me usually gets it done asap.
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Mackfam
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Mackfam wrote:
I keep a small file basket on my desk. Among the other folders, I keep a folder entitled *REVIEW* in my file basket on my desk. My big kids drop in work for me to review. If something just gets filed after I mark up the paper, I do that. If the paper needs attention from the child, it goes back in their basket.
** Math - is pretty straightforward. I do make note if a problem was missed because of careless work, or a page number I want the child to review.
** Formal writing projects - I make editing marks on the page as well as notes. I don't mark every writing assignment, only those that the children and I are taking through the editing process.
** Other work like grammar sentences are marked as well. I usually circle or make a mark next to errors to indicate that a child needs to make some kind of correction.
If your high schoolers are using texts for some subjects, Erin, you could set aside a place where they could leave their work and every day at a certain time you review and make notes on their work. The rule here at our house is that errors have to be corrected and reviewed before we move on to the next lesson. If work is sloppy or illegible - I send it back. |
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I added emphasis to the main point. No matter HOW you accomplish this, the bottom line is no moving forward until work is checked and reviewed (if needed). This is still our approach, and it does work....but it's a HABIT I have to hold myself to! This year, because my file basket on my desk is holding more material (for more students), rather than keeping a *REVIEW* basket for work to be dropped in, I've just designated a corner of my desk. The kids just pile notebooks and work there and I review and file, or review and hand back for corrections from there. Perhaps a particular corner of a counter or desktop could be your *DROP ZONE* - if something is there you know you have work to review.
It took one of those "lessons-learned-the-hard-way" from several years ago for me to really become very disciplined and commit to this approach. Because of my inattention, a child was really being short-changed. The consequence was a huge loss of ground in a particular subject. Once I realized this, I had to be accountable. It meant turning around and re-covering almost 6 months of material, and I learned a VERY valuable lesson. Checking work, reviewing it, making notes (mental and otherwise) about their work/progress, and communicating with them a little at a time along the way is a part of an ongoing conversation I have with my children. It's one way they communicate to me what they're learning...or not. I cannot be a part of the conversation, nor can I address their needs, if I don't know what's going on. Anyway, I buckled down and I haven't looked back.
Using a CM approach streamlines much of this written-to-be-checked work and I do find that is a huge assistant to me being frugal with my time and theirs. There isn't a lot of superfluous work being handed in to me. For the most part, we're discussing things together - like grammar and spelling from a dictation lesson and oral narrations from reading.
I'll pray for you, Erin and Becky! Prayers that you can find a system that's simple and straightforward, makes sense to you and your dc, and is "intuitive" for you!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Forgive me, Erin! I went back and re-read the thread......after posting. Sheesh! I missed a question you asked back when you originally posted (added emphasis)---
Erin wrote:
Mackfam wrote:
| If your high schoolers are using texts for some subjects, Erin, you could set aside a place where they could leave their work and every day at a certain time you review and make notes on their work. The rule here at our house is that errors have to be corrected and reviewed before we move on to the next lesson. If work is sloppy or illegible - I send it back. |
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Ah this is the problem, self-discipline So what time of the day/night do you find best to mark work? I'm tempted to send back sloppy but... some dc would be re-doing at lot. But then if I was on top of it more ie. reminding them more I know the problem would reduce. |
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I check throughout the day with the goal of everything handed back and re-worked by end of day.
First checking time: right before lunch because my olders complete most/all of their independent work before lunch and I can get a good head start on reviewing if I get most of it back to them before lunch. Also, if they end up with a pile of work to review it isn't so daunting to receive at 12:00....as opposed to 5:00 and then some children will want to correct all evening....total burnout.
After that, I review/check as it trickles in with the goal of having everything graded, reviewed, filed or handed back to the student by the time I move on to dinner prep in the afternoon. Our goal is to start each day as fresh as possible and correct or review when lessons and mistakes are fresh in our mind. I has worked out well for us so far, though I'm sure I will change/improve this system as children grow.
I DO NOT check work after hours!!!! Period!!!! I'm firm on this because we all need down time - the children and me. That time is set aside for dinner prep, evening prayers, visiting with my husband, games, winding down from the day, etc. NOT for grading/reviewing. If I end up behind in grading/reviewing....or a child turns something in late in the day, it stays on its little corner of my desk and I address it in the morning.
Sorry for the late answer - don't know if there's anything there for you!
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Erin
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Becky Parker wrote:
I was thinking about this last night so I think it's pretty neat that I came on line this morning and here you are asking about the same thing! I remember a piece of advice Jen had given me regarding something totally different, but I think it applies here -
"Try to make it intuitive"
So, that's what I'm trying to figure out right now ... how to make the marking of my kids work, work for me. What is most intuitive? When will it happen most naturally for me? |
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Becky
You so have me giggling, 'intuitive' is one of Jen's catchwords But you're so right, I've been trying to think just when would be an intuitive time for me. But for all the reasons you list the times you've thought about I've rejected for the same reason.
Mackfam wrote:
| I DO NOT check work after hours!!!! Period!!!! I'm firm on this because we all need down time - the children and me. That time is set aside for dinner prep, evening prayers, visiting with my husband, games, winding down from the day, etc. NOT for grading/reviewing. |
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The more I ponder this the more I believe you have given us excellent advice Jen  I'm sure like you share with your dc that some poor learning I should have corrected long ago continues. So I'm determined this is the year.
Back to the intuitive Becky and our problem, I keep coming back to after lunch. With only 7 weeks till our baby is born (and you have a newborn) I am tired by then and do rest but... I could either take books and mark then or mark immediately after I arise from my rest. So only problem left is my self-discipline but I have to address this.
Becky,
What if we were accountable to each other until we have a good habit formed? Charlotte Mason says 6 weeks to form a habit. We could either email each other or, if others struggle we could have a cheering squad here.
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KackyK
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I had been planning on doing a blog post about this very thing Erin!
So I went ahead and did it and I took a couple of pictures of our mess, I mean, system 
here it is
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Becky Parker
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I love the accountability idea Erin. How should we work it?
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Becky Parker
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I like your system KackyK. We have an in-box system, but that's where I struggle - taking the work out of the in-box in a timely manner. Our inboxes are actually the top drawer of my kids 10-drawer towers that we use as workboxes. Maybe changing the system so it's more visible would help. It's a little too "neat and tidy" hidden in the drawers, and I'm an "out of sight out of mind" organizer.
And Jen, I re-read your reply and the "not checking after hours" part makes alot of sense to me. It's almost like the timer I set for my ds and tell him math is over when the timer dings. It was meant to assure him that this wouldn't last forever - there was an end in sight - but it actually motivates him to get it done more quickly. Ha! Maybe I should set a timer for myself... I think I'll try it today after lunch.
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Our inboxes are right next to the door to the school room, they are unavoidable. They can be seen as I walk down the hall to the bathroom that is next to the school room. It definitely can hang on me
And Erin commented on my blog asking about how kids feel when I don't get it done timely. The ones that it bother, they will bring me their work they want checked that minute! They'll even bring the key too. The ones that don't mind, just take their book back from the inbox, do the next lesson and just put it back again.
I guess it's a temperment thing.
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Erin
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Kacky
My poor daughter gives up on me
Becky
I marked most of the chidlren's work yesterday! Straight after lunch does seem to be the 'intuitive' time for me. (great word Jen, keep thinking of that word). I thought if it is only you and I needing this, we'll pm each other daily to be a cheer squad. Hoping 6 weeks will have us in good habit.
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Erin wrote:
| I thought if it is only you and I needing this, we'll pm each other daily to be a cheer squad. Hoping 6 weeks will have us in good habit. |
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I'm RA-RA'ing from the sidelines!!!!!
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Marking Children's Work - Any Tips?
