When do you check their work?

[mamiof5]

11pm. Just finished checking math lessons. Spelling, reading comprehension, math...I just can't keep up with the checking process.

 

Any magic ideas/words of wisdom will be appreciated!

[Arcadia]

I use the solution manuals for reading comprehension and math. When my kids did grammar, I have used the answer key. I have only two so my grading load is lots lighter than you too.

[Ellie]

Pretty much as soon as they finish the assignment (although I didn't require lots of assignments, lol).

[frugalmamatx]

I semi-check along as they do the assignment. Other than than, I check on the weekends. I've been known to stick their notebook and the answer key in when I have to wait at the church food co-op on Saturday mornings {it takes anywhere from 1-4 hours} and check while waiting. 

[EKS]

I would sit across the room with the answer key for math and have my son tell me his answers as he did his work.  That way, it got checked and he didn't make the same mistake over and over.

 

As for spelling and reading comprehension--the only spelling programs that I found that actually worked were very hands on (Sequential Spelling and All About Spelling).  The ones where the kid just filled in worksheets just seemed to be a waste of everyone's time (theirs doing it and mine checking it).  The same goes for reading workbooks.

 

My point here is that if the resources you've chosen are unwieldy, it is ok to change or eliminate them.

[LuvToRead]

I also check immediately.  If I wait, then I forget.  

[MerryAtHope]

My kids did spelling with me, so there wasn't anything to check later for that. Likewise, I never used reading comprehension workbooks (which I loathed as a child), but instead had my kids tell me about their readers, read aloud a short passage to me daily, etc... I could tell through our discussions and when I asked them further questions (based on what they told me), how well they were understanding things. So, no checking for that either. So, basically the only work I checked in elementary school was math or some occasional writing. I usually did this right when they turned it in, or in the evening sometime.

 

As they got older and had more things to check, I often found that I did it the next morning before they started. I know that seems like an odd time, but it just worked out well in our routine!

[OneStepAtATime]

How many kids do you have?  That definitely impacts things.  I have two.

 

1.  I sit near them working on my things so if they are doing CLE I check the math problems from the TM right after they finish so we can address any problem areas the same day, while it is still fresh.  If they are doing CTC math then the program itself is correcting the work and they can figure out what went wrong and do similar problems as needed.  We review together if they really struggle.

2.  Spelling/Reading is a teacher intense program that I do with them so there is no checking after the fact.  I see immediately if they have issues or are doing well and can move forward.

3.  Grammar we work through together after she finishes marking the sentences (Fix-It).  Takes maybe 5-10 minutes tops, depending on the day.

4.  I try hard to make sure that everything is checked before late afternoon so our evenings are free for dinner, playing board games, watching an interesting program, taking walks, etc. whenever possible.

 

Honestly, I have found if I wait and try to check everything at once after everyone has gone to bed it either doesn't get done, it gets done really sloppily, I don't get much sleep, and/or I feel stressed out and frustrated and tied down to the material.  Also, the kids don't get immediate feedback so if I get too far behind they may be making consistent mistakes that get ingrained before I have a chance to get them going in the right direction.  

 

What materials are you using?

[Garga]

As soon as possible.  Usually while they're working on the next subject, I'm checking the last subject.  If I can't stop to check while they're working on something else because I'm working on it with them, then as soon as school is done for the day, I'm checking their work.

 

We review the incorrect ones the next day just before the lesson. 

 

For trickier math problems, I'll have them do a few and then check before they move on.  I don't want them doing something wrong over and over and over. 

 

It is NOT GOOD if I wait and try to check things every few days. There were about 3 times last year where I got behind checking the kids' grammar.  I admit that I gave up.  I just let the problems be wrong and didn't give the kids feedback and we just pushed on.  The only reason I felt ok with it is because it's CLE grammar and they have a serious spiral going in that curriculum, so I knew the problems they got wrong would show up again in a few lessons and I could deal with it then.

 

It is just ugly if I let the grading fall behind.  I am careful not to let it happen.

 

 

Edited August 5, 2016 by Garga

[Arcadia]

For the when part,

 

K-6th math - as my kids were doing

Prealgebra and up - when kids are reading

Science - as they complete or right after

Literature, History, Geography - any written output I check during their playtime

Chinese and German - outsourced class, I check when they finish their homework. For German, I check for completeness as my grammar isn't great being my 3rd language and lack of use. For Chinese, I check if homework is complete and correct as that is my native language

 

We did very little curriculum for language arts.

[mamiof5]

Pretty much as soon as they finish the assignment (although I didn't require lots of assignments, lol).

Lol!!!

[mamiof5]

How many kids do you have? That definitely impacts things. I have two.

 

1. I sit near them working on my things so if they are doing CLE I check the math problems from the TM right after they finish so we can address any problem areas the same day, while it is still fresh. If they are doing CTC math then the program itself is correcting the work and they can figure out what went wrong and do similar problems as needed. We review together if they really struggle.

2. Spelling/Reading is a teacher intense program that I do with them so there is no checking after the fact. I see immediately if they have issues or are doing well and can move forward.

3. Grammar we work through together after she finishes marking the sentences (Fix-It). Takes maybe 5-10 minutes tops, depending on the day.

4. I try hard to make sure that everything is checked before late afternoon so our evenings are free for dinner, playing board games, watching an interesting program, taking walks, etc. whenever possible.

 

Honestly, I have found if I wait and try to check everything at once after everyone has gone to bed it either doesn't get done, it gets done really sloppily, I don't get much sleep, and/or I feel stressed out and frustrated and tied down to the material. Also, the kids don't get immediate feedback so if I get too far behind they may be making consistent mistakes that get ingrained before I have a chance to get them going in the right direction.

 

What materials are you using?

I have 3 kids in school and a toddler whose goal is to disrupt school.

 

We do Saxon math (each kid, different levels), R and Staff gramnar and spelling, different writing programs, reading comprehension. Try to do vocabulary but it's currently not happening. We also do MFW in the afternoon.

 

Levels of grading vary. Math is my big one, hard to keep up. Spelling, reading... constantly behind in checking. Grammar depends, some I can check as we go, but worksheets, tests I fall behind.

 

We are falling on a routine of tutor time with mom, independent time, watch baby...which is great, but I'm always doing something. So my time for grading is extremely limited

[Ravin]

I check on the weekends. DD works independently on weekdays, and I check over everything to make sure she is making progress in her STEPS (there is no grading in those courses), to plan the following week's math review questions and the following weekend's math lessons, etc.

 

My favorite time of day to do this stuff is in the morning before kids are up. Second best is late afternoon when the kids are busy doing their own thing.

[sbgrace]

I check work as the kids are doing independent work. They bring me what they complete as they complete it. One works faster than the other. So while you're doing math and your brother is writing a composition, I am checking your brother's math, reading comprehension, and grammar. I sit with the slower working child for some of his math, so I often check the independent parts with him sitting right next to me. Sometimes I peak over his shoulder and check as he goes if I have time. With that one I often check all his independent stuff while he sits beside me. Then we can discuss what needs to be talked about as I find the mistakes.

 

I don't have 3 schooling kids and youngers to look after though! Depending on age span and maturity, would it be possible for some kids to check other's work, with you just looking at errors?

I have had friends, more than one, who depended on kids to check their own work and/or just spot checked a few things. In the cases I've known, that ended up back-firing. But maybe I only hear about the situations that ended poorly.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Usually immediately, but I've only got 2 kids so it doesn't take long. 

 

 

[mamiof5]

I check work as the kids are doing independent work. They bring me what they complete as they complete it. One works faster than the other. So while you're doing math and your brother is writing a composition, I am checking your brother's math, reading comprehension, and grammar. I sit with the slower working child for some of his math, so I often check the independent parts with him sitting right next to me. Sometimes I peak over his shoulder and check as he goes if I have time. With that one I often check all his independent stuff while he sits beside me. Then we can discuss what needs to be talked about as I find the mistakes.

 

I don't have 3 schooling kids and youngers to look after though! Depending on age span and maturity, would it be possible for some kids to check other's work, with you just looking at errors?

I have had friends, more than one, who depended on kids to check their own work and/or just spot checked a few things. In the cases I've known, that ended up back-firing. But maybe I only hear about the situations that ended poorly.

Good idea! Maybe I can have them help with some checking?? Could be worth a try. It's too much for me to check it all. I have also thought about engaging dh to help with checking, but it rarely ever seems to happen

[OneStepAtATime]

Good idea! Maybe I can have them help with some checking?? Could be worth a try. It's too much for me to check it all. I have also thought about engaging dh to help with checking, but it rarely ever seems to happen

If you want your DH to help and he indicates he is willing but just never seems to get to it, pick one subject, just the one, and ask him when would be a good time each night for him to do it.  Then make sure you hand him what needs to be checked at that time each night.  If he can get into a routine it will help.  

 

What grade levels are the kids?  

 

I think you need to reduce how much you have to be checking.  Are all of your programs heavy on paperwork generation?  You might consider cutting out some of the tests/quizzes in various subjects.  If you are checking daily work and seeing that they are doing well, you don't need to quiz or test them all the time.  Maybe just a quiz every quarter and a comprehensive test (make it up out of the tests provided with the program if there isn't one already) at the end of the academic year.

 

Also, you might train them to self-check some daily work but definitely emphasize that the goal is not really the correct answers, the goal is understanding the material.  If the answer is wrong then it is important to find out why.  Did they misread the question?  Mis-write the answer?  Did they genuinely not understand the material?  If they didn't understand it can they figure out why or do they need your help?  Your kids may not be developmentally ready to make these determinations.  If they self-check make sure you are still involved daily and checking to see where any disconnects are occurring.

[Loowit]

Depends.  Their math is self-grading, so for that I just glance at once or twice a week.  Papers that the girl writes are checked when I get a chance to sit down an concentrate, usually in the afternoon when the boys are done with school.  A lot of stuff with the boys is still done with me so I check it as we go along.  Anything else is done when I have the time, but I try to get to it that day or the day after.

[UCF612]

I check everything as soon as possible after they've finished the work. I only have 2 kids so that makes it easier. I check math and writing. For science and history we do oral narrations immediately after our lesson and written ones they bring me when they're done. Spelling is done with me. Reading is done with me for my youngest who is still learning to read.

[JudoMom]

Checking work/grading is my nemesis.  

We use Saxon math, too.  My older 3 check their daily work and I grade their tests.  I spot check my younger two, though I'll start moving them towards checking their own daily work as well. 

I spot check daily work, and grade papers and tests.  In an ideal world, I could check everything, but I cannot.  I am one person, they are five.  I have other responsibilities.  

If I have to wait for them anywhere, I take a bag of grading along.  I've been known to take the bag to bed to try to get a bit more checked but I usually fall asleep.

I do the best I can, but I'm always behind.

[MotherGoose]

I have two schooling and a baby. So far, I have put a time on the schedule when mom checks work and gives feedback. (15 min for both). Mine are 2 and 5 grade. If correcting the work doesn't require thought, then I can do it in spare moments instead of looking at Fb on my phone. 😠Things that require thought are different. However I try to give immediate feedback. One thing that's helped is having the answer keys organized so I don't have to look for them, and the current page marked.

[Holly]

Right away here!  Then they do corrections, right away.  I want to work on it when it's freshest in their mind.  Pretty much I just grade math.  We do most of our history & science tests orally or go over the answers together.   I also check writing as soon as they are finished.  Otherwise I'll find out the next day that it wasn't finished.   :cursing:  

[2_girls_mommy]

Different ways. Often I do it right as we start a lesson.  So if 9:00 am is math time, we will really quickly check yesterday's work before we start the new lesson. That way if there are any corrections that need to be made then they get done right then before moving. That works really well with one of mine. My other child for reasons I don't won't to get into, that doesn't work for. Sometimes I have her check her own. And other times, when it's been a few days, I will sit down and go over all of her work at once for a week or so. That is not ideal, but it is the best I can do with her often.

 

 

[luuknam]

Immediately. And for some things, e.g. my youngest's Kumon math word problems book, I check it after each single page before he's allowed to do the next page, so that's after every 5 or so problems. Some things are self-grading though, e.g. Rosetta Stone. For that, I just glance at the checkboxes each time I open up the program (though usually they'll also announce their scores after each section).

[JenneinCA]

With math, after every single problem. I write out the problem for him and then he does it. It saves the trauma of "writing out all the steps" if I do the writing out of the problem at the beginning.

 

With Japanese, the teacher checks on Saturday. I just check that he did something daily.

 

With the unit study, after every question. And sometimes I write out these questions too.

[Kat w]

I try to check now as we go, or in the morning before we start so I know what we need to work on that day.

 

When my big kids were older, ID have THEM check it lol. I could do that with my girls, not my son...ouy. Ha-ha.

He cared not lol.

 

So I'd say, probably depends in the child, their course load, and moms level of exhaustion :)

 

I've been uo at 11 grading papers. That's no fun. Check over their shoulder some too. I would use that as a guide as to 'how well are they doing' , to know what to have my eyes more keenly set on.

 

I've had a few teacher friends over the years, biggest complaint ?

...grading....papers lol.

[marisolstice]

All day long. 

[momacacia]

I try to do math asap, and get it corrects.by end of the day. Latin and grammar can kind of wait a few days. It is a chore, I hear ya.

[SnMomof7]

This is why I switched to TT and fewer markable subjects :). My kids now do a mix of computer based work that self-checks/adaptive teaching, and one on one mom stuff that is done then and there. Workbook marking is deadly to my brain. It didn't get done very often...

Edited August 6, 2016 by Jennifer Bogart

[Starr]

We generally checked work together as soon as it was finished. They could then fix any mistakes right away. Checking math was just part of the learning.

[Heatherwith4]

I do it right away, but I only have 3 kids and only 1 who is doing super independent stuff. My whole process may change when they are all more independent.

[lllll]

nm 

 

Edited November 5, 2016 by cathey

[eternalsummer]

saxon takes forever

 

do you do all problems?  even doing half took *forever* for DD to do and me to check

 

we miserabled through it for a few months, then abandoned for Fred, then struck a compromise on Math Mammoth and eventually BA.

 

Math Mammoth was a lot more manageable as far as quantity of work

[Farrar]

We have started doing a "morning conference" and an "afternoon conference." I try to do it then if it didn't happen naturally during the course of doing the work.

 

I rarely sit and check work outside school time. Every once in awhile something is left out and I didn't get around to it, but mostly I like to check it front of the kids so we can go over any issues.

[Kat w]

Checking right away is WAYYY easier when you only have a couple kids, ....throw a few more in the mix? Yea. That's alot.

 

OP, not sure you're kids ages, as they get older, checking their own work is part of the learning process.

 

Don't let your joy get bogged down with grading papers or being aggravated about it.

 

If you can glance over their shoulder ? That's a good summation of what they are getting right ir wrong. Spot check, where they have lapses, fix it.

 

When my girls were almost but not quite to the point I could let them grade their own, ID have them grade each other's haha :)

 

Talk about a built in editor! Lol..your sibling :)

That's assuming of course you have the TM . I didn't alot of times. Then, check it out over shoulders and ask if they need help.

 

As soon. As I had my 5th? Ha!

Yup, yall be check-in ho own...work lol.

Or...each others :)

[Kat w]

.

Edited August 7, 2016 by Kat w

[J&JMom]

For work we do together "in class",  I check immediately.  For independent assignments, we go over it first thing "in class" the next day for that subject. BTW -I rotate subjects and boys every 20-30 minutes over our day between classes with me, independent work, and joint classes. 

[lllll]

nm

Edited November 5, 2016 by cathey

[busymama7]

For math, I require the students to bring it to me where I am and have it graded before they are allowed to move on that day. I try to grade it while sitting at the table between working with kids on the day it's done but if that doesn't happen, I trained them to not move on until I checked the previous days work. They bring it and the TM to me (often I have been tending to toddlers and babies in the am)

 

In the upper levels of math I only graded tests. They checked their own daily work.

 

Last year for grammar we used analytical grammar with two boys. We went over the lesson together and they did the work independently. The next day we corrected the previous day's lesson together with me calling out the answers and them marking their paper and then we would go over mistakes before looking at the next page/lesson. I don't really do marking for the purpose of grades but to be sure they are understanding.

 

We also did R and S spelling last year but I never checked it. They would ask questions as they went along and i would check teacher book to help and then give the test at the end of the lesson. Maybe not the best way but it worked ok.

 

The most effective thing for me is to be at the table with everyone working and look over a much as possible right away. If I had to check paper outside our school hours regularly I think I would lose my mind. I dedicate those hours to school but can't afford more hours for prepping or checking work. We try to just work together as much as possible to reduce the need for grading.

Edited August 7, 2016 by busymama7