Grading and student feedback take up most of a teacher’s non-instructional time, and rightfully so: students (and their guardians) rely on teacher feedback to make meaningful improvements over the course of a school term.

Fast, efficient grading benefits both students and teachers alike.

But how can teachers speed up the grading process without sacrificing the quality of feedback for students?

This post is sponsored by Schoolytics.

A Teacher’s Checklist for Fast, Effective Feedback

Let’s break this big goal down into three smaller ones:

Goal #1: Spot blank assignments as the due date approaches

When it comes to missing and late assignments, it pays to be proactive. A friendly nudge before the deadline can get a student back on track and simplify your grading process.

If you’re looking for an easy way to do this, sign up for Schoolytics (it’s free for teachers) and use it to filter assignments by those with zero attachments. Then, return those blank assignments to students along with a note to the student and guardian.

Goal #2: Return on-time work within 1 day of the due date

Easier said than done, right?

This is likely the most challenging of the three goals, but the good news is that there’s (free!) technology that makes it easier to grade quickly and efficiently without adding to your workload.

Use Schoolytics to sort assignments by those that were submitted on time, then filter by the trailing week. This assignment list should be prioritized for grading. With a focused, finite list of assignments to return, grading becomes a bit less daunting!

Goal #3: Model a growth mindset for students

Keeping students encouraged and engaged is key to their success. Research shows that students who learn that intelligence and ability are malleable – rather than fixed – exhibit higher academic achievement and attempt more challenging tasks.

One of the simplest ways to keep students motivated is to help them set realistic goals.

If those goals follow the SMART framework, they should be achievable and time-bound, which means before long, you’ll be able to celebrate some wins! One way to do this is to use Schoolytics to send students high-fives based on assignment completion criteria that you select.

Grading student work quickly can be an added stressor for already-overworked teachers, but fast feedback is essential for helping students grow their knowledge and achieve their goals.

With goals in place and the right technology supporting you, fast grading gets a bit easier.

If you found these tips helpful, take them with you! Download a PDF version of the guide below.

© Shake Up Learning 2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kasey Bell and Shake Up Learning with appropriate and specific direction to the original content on ShakeUpLearning.com. See: Copyright Policy.