Must pupils mark their work?
Oct 10, 2004
One of the demanding tasks in teaching profession is that of marking pupils’ work. It may stretch your back and neck muscles almost to a breaking point, especially with a large number of pupils in class.
By Jamesa Wagwau
One of the demanding tasks in teaching profession is that of marking pupils’ work. It may stretch your back and neck muscles almost to a breaking point, especially with a large number of pupils in class.
You might feel tempted to find a short cut to this headache. But must you go through a pile of exercise books daily as if marking books is a life sentence in teaching profession? Please read on.
A ten-year-old girl called Betty recently expressed to me the dislike she has towards her English teacher’s marking style.
“Our English teacher is not serious with his work. How can primary school pupils be asked to mark their own work?†she wondered.
Betty’s point of concern raises an important question in classroom testing and evaluation. Is it unethical to allow children to mark their own work or is Betty being unnecessarily critical of the teacher’s methods?
Educational psychologists emphasise the need for effective marking as a fundamental practice in classroom testing and evaluation. Stephens J. in his book Handbook Of classroom Learning, notes that through good practice of marking, a teacher acts as a model and demonstrates to the pupils the care and attention that need to be devoted in academic tasks.
This view therefore, exhibits the need for you to have a personal touch in marking pupils’ work as a professional requirement. Some education experts however, hold a different view on this area.
Dr. Chris Kyriacou in his book Essential Teaching Skills offers a comment worth our attention. He states that it is useful to employ a variety of marking methods including allowing pupils to mark their own work or each other’s work. Kyriacou argues that this practice accords the pupils the opportunity to evaluate their own progress as well as learning from their mistakes.
Recommendations:
l Although guiding pupils to mark their own work is not in itself unethical, there is need for you to go through all the books to correct spelling errors and give comments. Marking enables you to give feedback to the learners. Your feedback will help pupils to think about their study skills, areas that need improvement and how to prepare for future assignments. Remember, the child uses your comments as a mirror. Be careful with the comments you write on pupils’ books bearing in mind that it will be received as the gospel truth. Your comments could build or destroy the child’s sense of self-worth.
l Through marking, you get to understand your pupils individually. Marking also strengthens the teacher-child relationship upon which effective learning depends.
As you mark, pay close attention to the details in the child’s work. Find out how he/she arrives at a particular answer. Children have interesting idea, which could help you as you plan your next lesson.
l Spare time to go through all the pupils’ assignments as well as their notes. Children must be closely followed up, monitored and supervised for effective learning to take place.
Teaching is a growing and dynamic profession. We must be ready to embrace new ideas everyday. If you have a different view to this subject share it with us.
jwagwau@newvision.co.ug
One of the demanding tasks in teaching profession is that of marking pupils’ work. It may stretch your back and neck muscles almost to a breaking point, especially with a large number of pupils in class.
You might feel tempted to find a short cut to this headache. But must you go through a pile of exercise books daily as if marking books is a life sentence in teaching profession? Please read on.
A ten-year-old girl called Betty recently expressed to me the dislike she has towards her English teacher’s marking style.
“Our English teacher is not serious with his work. How can primary school pupils be asked to mark their own work?†she wondered.
Betty’s point of concern raises an important question in classroom testing and evaluation. Is it unethical to allow children to mark their own work or is Betty being unnecessarily critical of the teacher’s methods?
Educational psychologists emphasise the need for effective marking as a fundamental practice in classroom testing and evaluation. Stephens J. in his book Handbook Of classroom Learning, notes that through good practice of marking, a teacher acts as a model and demonstrates to the pupils the care and attention that need to be devoted in academic tasks.
This view therefore, exhibits the need for you to have a personal touch in marking pupils’ work as a professional requirement. Some education experts however, hold a different view on this area.
Dr. Chris Kyriacou in his book Essential Teaching Skills offers a comment worth our attention. He states that it is useful to employ a variety of marking methods including allowing pupils to mark their own work or each other’s work. Kyriacou argues that this practice accords the pupils the opportunity to evaluate their own progress as well as learning from their mistakes.
Recommendations:
l Although guiding pupils to mark their own work is not in itself unethical, there is need for you to go through all the books to correct spelling errors and give comments. Marking enables you to give feedback to the learners. Your feedback will help pupils to think about their study skills, areas that need improvement and how to prepare for future assignments. Remember, the child uses your comments as a mirror. Be careful with the comments you write on pupils’ books bearing in mind that it will be received as the gospel truth. Your comments could build or destroy the child’s sense of self-worth.
l Through marking, you get to understand your pupils individually. Marking also strengthens the teacher-child relationship upon which effective learning depends.
As you mark, pay close attention to the details in the child’s work. Find out how he/she arrives at a particular answer. Children have interesting idea, which could help you as you plan your next lesson.
l Spare time to go through all the pupils’ assignments as well as their notes. Children must be closely followed up, monitored and supervised for effective learning to take place.
Teaching is a growing and dynamic profession. We must be ready to embrace new ideas everyday. If you have a different view to this subject share it with us.
jwagwau@newvision.co.ug