3 years in and thinking of chucking it in...

[Loonytoonie]

I have 15 classes, KS3 and 4. On average, 24-26 kids in each class. The marking policy is to 2stars &wish each book once a month. We have to include so much in each session: the level they are at, how to get to next level, spelling errors, punctuation errors, behaviour and attitude.

My KS4 books, same needed, and coursework to mark on top of this. I must write almost a third of an A4 page of comments for each child.

I have no life. I get almost nothing else done. I can't cut it down even though my husband doesn't believe that I need to do so much and I cannot keep up with it all.

[Loonytoonie]

It takes 20 mins for each book. I wish there were 8 days in a week.

[Snargaluff]

Are you allowed to use stickers? I have sheets of stickers that I've made with comments on that you say often and I tick the ones applicable to the child. I have www and ebi and then another sticker applicable to levels, and then I handwrite one thing and bobs your uncle!

[talulahbelle]

I feel your pain and wish I could quit too.

[spanky2]

I used to be a full time teacher and left on maternity leave 9 years ago. I did do supply teaching. What I have learnt is teaching will take every ounce you have to give. Most people I worked with (at a school in a difficult area,) are or have been on antideppressants. I used to feel very frustrated that I would spend so much time marking and the children wouldn't read it or take any notice of my comments! What do other teachers in your department do? I did find the longer I was teaching the quicker I got. Change marking policy?

[Phineyj]

If you believe you are doing a good job, would be hard to replace and otherwise enjoy teaching, then take this up with your head of department and/or the most sympathetic member of your senior leadership team. There must be some way of trying to cut this down before quitting. I agree with the poster above that you could try to 'automate' this in some way with stickers or printouts (I teach older age groups but have a tick list thing so I can give them personal feedback on coursework but not write it all out).

Other suggestions - does your school approve of peer marking and can you devote a chunk of lesson time to it, and mark books every other month? Do samples of books so everyone gets sampled every three months? Take everyone to a computer room once in a while and do an online assessment that self-marks? (I am planning to start doing this). Lobby for a trainee and pass some onto them? I did a heap of marking while on GTP and I noticed my 'mentor' also got a lot done while observing my lessons.

[chibi]

here is what i do: i make a grid with assessable outcomes in it (eg correctly calculates x, uses vocab appropriately, correct number of sig fig) and then columns with totally achieved/starting to/no evidence

i stick it in the child's book, tick relevent boxes, and then write my comment.

i started this when i found commenting on spelling AND grammar AND vocab AND the calculation AND etc etc found me writing paragraphs.

also if there are marking criteria (i.e. for specimen controlled assesments) i minimise them, print them out and highlight what has been securely achieved. i also have students do this when they peer mark.

this saves time, and allows you to give meaningful focused feedback

i hope this helps

[Arisbottle]

That is really good advice chibi

[chibi]

thanks arisbottle!

[Arisbottle]

It just strikes me that I do exactly that when pupils are peer assessing but not to make my own marking more straightforward.

[Loonytoonie]

We're stuck in this system for goodness knows how long. Ofsted were...let's just say...none to pleased with us last year. Our core data was terrible and there was simply no consistency in teaching, marking etc.

I joined a few months before Ofsted landed so I've been caught in the cyclone ever since. It's been hell. Our core data has improved beyond measure and our teaching is a lot more consistent. But we must keep things as water tight as possible until Ofsted land again and things cannot change. All we know is that it will be before March. I don't know if I hang on that long.

[chibi]

if you use my system you will still be following your school's marking policy, but without collapsing due to overwork. run it by your HoD- i am sure it would be allowed

it is easy to get discouraged, especially early into your career. is your HoD supportive?

[Loonytoonie]

My HoD is awesome but she herself is struggling to keep up. We All are.

I'm not sure that the Headship team will permit any alterations to the marking scheme now, not that the LEA seem to love it so much.

Ffs - that's the galling thing. I can probably count on one hand the pupils that actually read my marking.

[chibi]

what a waste of time

[Arisbottle]

My books are marked every other lesson. Every second mark the pupils have to do a star and a wish based on my marking just so that I know they have read it. With some classes I do it after every mark.

[Loonytoonie]

How do you keep up with the marking?

[Arisbottle]

I am a member of SLT so have fewer classes than the average teacher. Although even as a mainscale teacher I was able to mark my books every other lesson, certainly it never went beyond three.

I stay in work 4 days out of 5 from 7am until 6pm and manage to get a lot done that way. Once every few weeks I might stay in school until around 9pm and I blitz . I try and get as much done at school as possible because with a house full of children and animals working at home can be tough .

I am lucky enough to have my own study at home, so can shut myself away in the evenings. I tend to do about 14-15 hour days but don't work during the holidays or much at the weekends.

[morethanpotatoprints]

I can't tell you what to do OP, but teaching isn't for everyone.
I qualified post compulsory and found it wasn't for me after a couple of years.
The teaching bit was fine, when I actually got to teach my subject.
The conditions were awful and not the reason I went into teaching.
I felt like a weight had been lifted and now I am unlearning everything in order to support my dd in H.ed
You will no doubt have many transferable skills to gain employment in other areas.

[BucketArse]

It's not a new marking policy you need. It's a new career.

Teaching is a mug's game. We all know it.

[Arisbottle]

I am not a mug, from it.

[Arisbottle]

Far from it.

I chose teaching because I wanted to do bugger all for twelve weeks a year.

[Loonytoonie]

I have an observation this Fri and I can honestly say that I no longer have confidence in doing what I do.

We've been pushed this way and that, given different literacy targets to attain in lessons, told to break down different reading behaviours for tasks. I truly don't think I've learnt the craft of teaching yet because delivering the actual lesson has altered so much.

Got so much to do I don't know where to start. Feel totally overwhelmed and under prepared for this. How the hell do you cope with a family AND teaching?! I can't do it much longer.

[LuvMyBoyz]

Sounds like our schools are in the same position, Loony, and you have my sympathies. I'm spared a lot of marking because I am SENCO but I have to monitor the marking of teachers of SEN pupils. Big changes in very little time, observed from all angles, monitored to within an inch of your life, pressure from the top, the middle and the bottom....let's open a cup cake stall in a market...