Teacher Link Up: Returning graded papers

I taught HS Spanish until becoming a SAHM, and while I would never ever trade my new occupation, I am still known to burst into tears if one of my former students sends me a message, or if I merely think of school starting without me.  I was excited to see a teacher link-up sprout up on my blog reading list, and even though I won't actually be using any tips from other linkers (yet.. till I go back to teaching one day), adding a little something makes me feel like I'm still involved in teaching, even in the tiniest way.

I have a nifty classroom management system I'd love to share.  I'll have to think about the easiest way to convey that on paper though (it's not complicated, but soo much easier to explain in person).  This was a really unhelpful paragraph.  Go ahead and read it again, it'll still be void of useful information.

Back to the matter at hand.  I can share an easy-to-write-up tip for keeping papers organized for grading and returning.  No photos because they'd be really boring shots of 8.5x11 paper, and I don't even have a classroom anymore.  What's that?  You need a picture?  Fine, here's my baby and my dog, which have nothing to do with this post but sure are cute.

OK really.  Back to what I came for.  Returning graded work was a pet peeve of mine.  Not only did it take waay too much time from instruction, but I also felt like I lost a little control and appeared really disorganized if I had to bounce around the room, throwing papers at students while they texted under their desks waited patiently for their papers.

To avoid that circus, I got 6 cardboard box lids (you could definitely do something way cuter... this system was born before Pinterest), and labeled them with the letters A through F - one for each row in my classroom.  Each row was lettered, and then each seat in that row was numbered.  So if Enrique Iglesias sat in the first row in the third seat, he would be A3.  Get it?

On all assignments to be turned in (like quizzes, tests, etc.), I provided a little line at the top next to their name for writing their seat letter and number.  When they completed their quiz, they would bring it and drop it in the lettered box that corresponded with their row.

Once I was done grading, all I had to do was look in the top right of each paper and quickly shuffle them into order by row letter and number: A1, A2, A3, A4, A5... With papers in this order, I only had to actually make a hand-off to the 6 students in the front row (face down so grades aren't showing), who would take theirs from the bottom and pass along to the rest of their row.

So simple, but it really streamlined the whole process, kept us all organized, on-task, and made everyone a straight-A students!  (jk on the last one)

Hope I helped a fellow teacha out!  Go forth and conquer (minds, that is)!  I've got a diaper to change. :)