How to Organize Student Papers
Papers, papers, papers. And guess what… more papers. Papers in, papers out, administrative papers, records, confidential papers, student papers, you name it, and chances are there’s a paper for it.
Teacher organization is key in being an effective teacher. Today I want talk about Student Papers. And I want to share a new discovery that can help with keeping track of EVERY student paper and having what you need at our fingertips when collecting, grading, recording, and returning student papers.
1) Collecting Papers: Yes, you need a system for collecting student papers. The Wong’s have an excellent procedure in their book: The Classroom Management Book. (Side note: if you’ve never heard of the Wong’s, their book The First Days of School is an absolute MUST for any and every teacher!)
There are so many options- collecting by passing papers, by groups, a designated student job. One thing is for sure, you need a system to collect papers.
2) Turn in Tray: A designated spot for the collector to place the papers. Where students can turn in late work and make up work.
Then comes you, the teacher, to take the papers from the tray to grade. Then what? Where do you put them? For years I had color coded file folders I would put the papers into. Coded by subject when I taught self contained, and then by class period for teaching middle school.
But here’s the problem: keeping track of all the folders, the answer keys, stickers, homework passes, grading pens, score sheets…
What if I need to grade at home? Gathering all these things up is manageable, but it takes TIME. I don’t know about you, but my time is precious. I always felt like I was wasting time making sure I had what I needed. Not to mention making sure I packed everything up to bring BACK to school.
And then one day, when I was walking through Target, I saw it. And I immediately jumped at the idea – The Grading Pro Portfolio! Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen expanding files before, but there was something different about this one, and in an instant, I could see it!
But here’s the problem: keeping track of all the folders, the answer keys, stickers, homework passes, grading pens, score sheets…
What if I need to grade at home? Gathering all these things up is manageable, but it takes TIME. I don’t know about you, but my time is precious. I always felt like I was wasting time making sure I had what I needed. Not to mention making sure I packed everything up to bring BACK to school.
And then one day, when I was walking through Target, I saw it. And I immediately jumped at the idea – The Grading Pro Portfolio! Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen expanding files before, but there was something different about this one, and in an instant, I could see it!
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3) The GPP (aka Grading Pro Portfolio): Wow, what a game changer! Here’s what I did:
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- Third, all of my answer keys for the current unit.
- Next I made “Student IN” slots for each period. When I remove papers from the Turn In Tray, this is where I put them.
- Finally, I made “Student OUT” slots for each period. This is where I place the papers after they’ve been graded and are ready to be returned to students.
Now, here’s what I love about this particular file:
One, is has a flat base and can sit ANYWHERE open and provides easy access.
Two, it has handles, with a closing clasp! I can easily transport the GPP anywhere! It’s super easy to close, grab & go. No more wasted time hunting everything down.
Grading is so much easier now because I don’t have to stop and think about what I need to grade. It’s all right there. As a bonus, it helps eliminate that worry of misplacing a student paper!
I hope the GPP can work for you! Happy Grading!
One, is has a flat base and can sit ANYWHERE open and provides easy access.
Two, it has handles, with a closing clasp! I can easily transport the GPP anywhere! It’s super easy to close, grab & go. No more wasted time hunting everything down.
Grading is so much easier now because I don’t have to stop and think about what I need to grade. It’s all right there. As a bonus, it helps eliminate that worry of misplacing a student paper!
I hope the GPP can work for you! Happy Grading!
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Welcome! I'm Hillary Midgley, a veteran 6th grade teacher.
I create educational materials and develop curriculum for other teachers. I specialize in teaching students how to learn through my Study Skills Curriculum. I have established fundamental classroom systems and structures for teachers to help them streamline their classroom. And my passion is teaching ancient history through engaging activities with foundations in academic skills. Here you will find resources on all of these topics and more. Learn more about me here.
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