Do you check all of your children's work?

[Shawn On the Border]

I am always struggling to keep up with grading and checking my kids papers- math, grammar, writing, science, Latin, history...ugh! It was never a problem when they were younger, but now they are in 5th and 8th grades, and there's so much work!

 

How do you get it all done? Do you check all the worksheets, or only tests? Sometimes I try to check and review the previous day's work when we do the day's lesson, but it takes time out of our busy day. It is better when I check the work first at night, but I get so busy with activities and household responsibilities.

 

What do you do?

[LibraryLover]

I go over everything they do.

[Tree House Academy]

This was hard for me at first. Now, my 5th grader does his work and then checks a LOT of it himself. Math, for instance. He shows me that he finished and then he checks his work with a pen (with me in the room to encourage homesty). Other work, we go over together so he can correct what he missed. I found that, when it was just me grading his work, he wasn't "getting" what he missed. Now he is an active participant and it helps a lot.

[abbeyej]

I try to go over everything with the kids present. Yes, it's tough. And I've only got two kids... But I think they learn more. When I allow work to go unchecked for any period of time, I always regret it.

[Jen500]

I check everything, because I want to know if they understand the subject and if we need to go over something again. I don't really give a lot of worksheets, though. Some subjects we discuss orally.

[justamouse]

I used to save it up and that was a nightmare-I didn't know when they had gone off the road, and the work was overwhelming. Now we do it all at once. It gets checked before we close the book.

[Vanna]

...some of their work is "self-checking." For example, Teaching Textbooks Math does it all: lessons, quizzes, grading -- all I do is help out when my son is totally stuck on a problem.

 

Oldest Ds is "tutoring" the younger siblings in Latin so he checks that.

 

I would say that with your children in 5th and 8th gr., they could check their own work (even some of their own work) or you could have them "swap" and check each others work. Then you could just "look things over" to stay on top of things.

[MamaSheep]

Could you have them check at least some of their own, or each other's work? (Assuming you can trust them not to change answers and whatnot.) For things with answer keys that shouldn't be much of a problem. Things that are a little more involved or subjective you would still have to do yourself.

 

I don't personally grade everything in every subject, but I don't have to report anything to the state. I'm not issuing grades for dd this year at all, we're just doing the work and talking about it as we go. Ds is in 7th grade and I am giving him grades. I use Teaching Textbooks, like Vanna, so that takes care of itself, mostly. I do make him do the chapter quizzes with a pencil and I grade those myself because I don't watch him do the lessons unless he requests help, but I do want to touch base periodically and make sure he's doing it right. For some subjects I am a lot looser. For history, for example, he gets a weekly grade for reading (did he do it or not), class participation (discussion, attitude, etc.), and written work. Science is the same with the addition of a weekly lab grade. A lot of that is fairly subjective, but I do use rubrics to keep my subjectivity fairly consistent. I don't currently grade things like spelling and grammar in his written work for history, which makes the grading go more quickly. (For this particular child language arts needs to be strictly its own subject.) For language arts he gets a fairly subjective grade for his daily journal (one grade for the week), a grade for a language arts quiz (I don't grade the 'teaching' stuff we do to learn the material covered on the quiz), literature (quiz grade at the end of each book), etc. For "consumer sciences" (aka home ec/computers) he gets graded per project, even if the project takes several weeks.

Edited October 23, 2009 by MamaSheep

[ncmomo3]

Yes, I check/go over it all.

We have implemented a system that when they finish an assignment(whether book/paper/worksheet), they place it on my desk. I check/go over it and depending on how many or what the errors are, I go over it with them. This has become a must for us as their work has become increasingly more involved. It has been a difficult discipline for me to be consistently on top of the work, but for my overall sanity, I have to.

[jec3113]

I check/grade everything. Sometimes, it is overwhelming and just today it occured to me that it would be better if they could self check and correct errors. Ideally I would like mastery of material, maybe this could be achieved with self grading. Hmmmm.... However, they are only 7.5 & 9. Maybe, we could start with certain subjects only, like math and spelling. Any thoughts?

[Matryoshka]

I check almost all of it, but I struggle, and I'd say I get to some of it once a week or less - but we always go over it and answer questions afterwards. For math I give them a day with no new lessons and consider it a review of sorts.

 

Every time I feel sorry for myself keeping up with checking work for 3 kids, I think of my brother who's a high school teacher with 150 students to correct work for! Yegads, I have no idea how he sleeps...

[Matryoshka]

I check/grade everything. Sometimes, it is overwhelming and just today it occured to me that it would be better if they could self check and correct errors. Ideally I would like mastery of material, maybe this could be achieved with self grading. Hmmmm.... However, they are only 7.5 & 9. Maybe, we could start with certain subjects only, like math and spelling. Any thoughts?

 

I think I'm going to have my older kids (6th grade) start to do this with their Spanish workbook, then come and ask me if they have questions. It's one of the (fortunately few) things I'm not getting to checking regularly.

[Karen in CO]

I check almost all of it, but I struggle, and I'd say I get to some of it once a week or less - but we always go over it and answer questions afterwards. For math I give them a day with no new lessons and consider it a review of sorts.

 

Every time I feel sorry for myself keeping up with checking work for 3 kids, I think of my brother who's a high school teacher with 150 students to correct work for! Yegads, I have no idea how he sleeps...

 

My brother is a high school teacher too. I can't ever complain about checking work. I try to check everything with the child present so that we can go over any that were missed. I did this with my ds all the way through high school except writing assignments which he emailed to me.

 

I don't assign lots paper busywork that has to be graded, and I don't consider a lesson over until the work from the lesson is checked. I just don't want errors to go on. We do the work, check the work, make corrections, repeat.

[lovemykids]

Eventually, yes. :o

[Annie Laurie]

I only grade my high schooler but I check everything everyone does the same day- how else can they learn from their mistakes? They have to correct missed math problems and such until they're correct.

 

My 8, 7, and 5 yr olds don't have much to correct. WWE they do with me right there and so on. But we do discuss and check anything that needs it together. My high schooler works on his own for most of the day and then brings me all his finished work at the end of the day, he checks it with me and then corrects it.

[Nestof3]

Yes, I've always checked all of their work, and they must correct it all.

 

I only assign/record grades in high school.

 

For Nathan and Ben, I check all of their lang. arts and math as we go along. When they are older, I'll check at night and give them their corrections in the morning like I did for Aaron when he was older.

Edited October 23, 2009 by nestof3

[SilverMoon]

I try to go over everything with the kids present. Yes, it's tough. And I've only got two kids... But I think they learn more. When I allow work to go unchecked for any period of time, I always regret it.

 

 

This. But I have three students who need work checked, and one preschooler (who can't work independently anyway).

 

It took awhile to get a system rolling that worked well for us. My computer desk is our school "base" of sorts. All our books and supplies live right here. When an assignment needs turned in when I'm not available they set it right in front of the keyboard. If I am available they just hand it to me. As soon as I have a moment between kids I park at the desk and quickly scan anything left there for me before tag teaming to the next kid and/or lesson. Finished and checked by Mom papers go on top of the computer monitor. Once a day, or whenever I get around to it, I sort the stack by kid, 3-hole punching as I go, and put it into the appropriate binders.

[FaithHopeLove]

I have to check everday otherwise it's overwhelming. I try to do it as soon as we're done with that subject if possible.

[MerryAtHope]

Mine are 5th & 7th this year, so similar boat, but yes, I check it all. Typically I do it at night before I go to bed, and sometimes it takes 30-40 minutes. But I consider it important time spent because it lets me know what they understand and what they don't, where they need help etc...

 

Once last year I was really sick for a week--can't drag myself outa bed sick. Hadn't been that sick in a long time. I had my kids keep up with math and reading and some LA, but didn't check for a week. Wouldn't you know, my son's math book taught how to multiply AND divide fractions, all in that one week? What were they thinking! It took us weeks to undo what he thought he learned and correct the thought patterns. So...never again!

 

Merry :-)

[Vida Winter]

Yes, I check it all. At times I can check it as they are doing it (when I am helping them with it) but most of the time it's a nightly task. I have a box I bought at the container store; they fill it up as the day goes on.

[katilac]

I have 2 students. They give each other their spelling tests, and sometimes check work for each other or themselves. For grammar, I often only check my 6th grader's chapter reviews, and she is doing more and more self-correcting. When they self-correct, they fix any errors but also mark them, so we both know what they missed and can look for patterns, etc.

 

I try very, very hard to correct math daily, but it doesn't always happen with the 6th grader.

[Tree House Academy]

I check/grade everything. Sometimes, it is overwhelming and just today it occured to me that it would be better if they could self check and correct errors. Ideally I would like mastery of material, maybe this could be achieved with self grading. Hmmmm.... However, they are only 7.5 & 9. Maybe, we could start with certain subjects only, like math and spelling. Any thoughts?

 

We do math this way and ds has really started to see his errors and I can see improvement in the areas where he was making consistent mistakes.

[Julie in MN]

I don't assign lots paper busywork that has to be graded, and I don't consider a lesson over until the work from the lesson is checked. I just don't want errors to go on. We do the work, check the work, make corrections, repeat.

 

:iagree:

[smrtmama]

Yes, I check all of his work. I don't grade, but I circle stuff that needs to be corrected, let him redo it, and then go over it with him carefully if he can't correct it on the second pass.

[Reya]

I do it as DS finishes, if at all possible.

[teacalm]

I do and it's a labor of love. If I don't, then it's hard to get the kids out of bad habits or mistakes. When I check, I see immediately what they are doing wrong. I, then, can make a plan what they need for reinforcement for those sections or topics they don't understand or get.

[Mom0012]

I check it at night while I'm watching tv or I get up early and check it first thing in the morning. At this point, it only takes me 20 - 30 minutes and my kids are in 2nd and 4th grades. I have them make their corrections first thing in the morning.

 

Lisa

[5LittleMonkeys]

Most of the time my dd6th checks her own math and grammar and corrects. Usually she has just made a careless mistake. If its a concept issue she brings it to me and we go over it. Her writing assignments I look at on our test\rework\cleaning day. If she needs to rework she does it then but with this dc that hardly ever happens. My dd 5th and dd1st do their work at the table with me right there so we correct as we go. The 3yr.old also wants his "work" checked occasionally so I have to fit that in.;)

I don't grade daily work; I only grade tests and cummulative review tests to give a better idea of subject retention. If they made a 95 we are good; if they made an 85 we need to do some remedial. If they made a 75 we are doing the whole lesson over again. I check these immediately after they are completed. I don't grade science, history or writing at all. If they are doing something wrong or don't seem to be getting the gist of things I correct them or re-explain it immediately. I'm not required to turn in grades to my state so grading isn't as critical for us.

Once they get into highschool and are doing the majority of their work away from me we will have to re-evaluate. I'll have to save this thread so I can refer back to it for new ideas.:001_smile:

Aime

[robsiew]

I have young ones, but 4 of them. When I let it go more than a couple days I regret it. I try to do it every night or in the early morning... most of the time it works... as they get older I can see this getting to be a lot more work! I like the idea of them checking some of it themselves...

[robsiew]

Yes, I check all of his work. I don't grade, but I circle stuff that needs to be corrected, let him redo it, and then go over it with him carefully if he can't correct it on the second pass.

 

This is exactly what I do...

[Kim in Appalachia]

if I don't then some of my children wouldn't actually do the work.:tongue_smilie: I also like to catch things before they become a problem. I don't like doing it either, but it is a part of homeschooling.

[Nestof3]

if I don't then some of my children wouldn't actually do the work.:tongue_smilie: I also like to catch things before they become a problem. I don't like doing it either, but it is a part of homeschooling.

 

I agree. Especially when they're young, I really feel like it's best to check as close to the assignment as possible. For grammar and math, I check as soon as they are finished.

[kamom]

Mine are in the same grade except for math. So they often get into this thing of reading their answers out loud to each other when they're done with the subject. They never thought of it as checking for me, but I'm all ears, because when their answers don't match up then they want to know who's right.:001_smile: Makes it really handy for mom.

[mom2abcd]

We've been doing more correcting "in class" this year. Our two are together for history and part of grammar. They have really enjoyed this time of correcting each other's papers! They end up reviewing since they try to spot errors on their own before I give the answer:o)

 

I like that it's immediate feedback and we can go over it together. Plus it doesn't add to my pile of things to correct! (And yes-- I correct everything as soon as possible. I have them correct things with me when it works easily. I read the answers and they correct...)

[Julie in MN]

I have them correct things with me when it works easily. I read the answers and they correct...)

 

:iagree:

 

My son likes it much better this way, and the learning is maximized, I thnk.

[Quiver0f10]

I never used to check their work. It was the thing I despised doing the most. But it caught up with me when I had kids skipping things, or doing it wrong for weeks on end because I wasn't on top of it. We had to back track a lot to fix MY mistake. So now, I go over everything.

[MomsintheGarden]

I check all work up until 7th grade.

 

In 7th grade, they start checking their own R&S daily grammar assignments, but I still check their tests. They also check their own Bible questions (Bread of Life).

 

In high school, they check their own work in Apologia (and other science), but I check the tests with a red pen.

 

For every age, I try to read every essay and give comments, and most importantly, I ALWAYS check EVERY single math page or problem section, through Calculus. I go over the corrections with my children and coach them through their answers.

 

With seven children, it has been a huge amount of work, but worth it. I really know whether they understand or not, and can help them. That's one of the reasons I homeschool.

 

GardenMom

[Snickerdoodle]

In addition to reviewing and expecting corrections immediately, I do not accept illegible or sloppy work (mindful of age appropriate output with regard to handwriting).