{"id":41166,"date":"2013-08-23T11:01:50","date_gmt":"2013-08-23T15:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/carleton.ca\/tasupport\/?p=3521"},"modified":"2021-08-13T16:24:53","modified_gmt":"2021-08-13T20:24:53","slug":"blog-timers-and-two-stars-a-wish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/tls\/2013\/blog-timers-and-two-stars-a-wish\/","title":{"rendered":"Blog: Rubrics, Timers, and “Two Stars & a Wish”"},"content":{"rendered":"

By: Amanda Murphy<\/em><\/p>\n

If you’re wondering how time-keeping devices, astronomy, and mysticism\u00a0can make you a more effective teacher, then read on!<\/p>\n

If you find\u00a0yourself overwhelmed by the combined responsibilities of your own\u00a0research and giving careful feedback to large numbers of students, try\u00a0using a rubric, a timer, and a systematic, generally positive marking\u00a0process to preserve your sanity and help your students grow in their\u00a0chosen field. This overview of suggestions to enhance the feedback\u00a0process, from the initial assignment through marking, can help you\u00a0have a more manageable semester.<\/p>\n

Step 1: Assignment (or, Why Rubrics Are Your Friends!)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes the clearest way to articulate expectations to students is\u00a0to distribute an assessment rubric in advance of an assignment’s due\u00a0date, so students know the parameters of an \u201cexcellent\u201d paper as\u00a0compared to a \u201cneeds improvement\u201d paper. A rubric can serve as a\u00a0contract between the person assigning marks and the student submitting\u00a0the assignment\u2014the students will perform within the parameters of the\u00a0rubric to the best of their ability, and the person assigning marks\u00a0will provide clear, constructive feedback based on the students’ proximity to those parameters considered \u201cexcellent.\u201d (I have found\u00a0this to be an invaluable teaching tool as a TA for the History\u00a0Department, but it can be adjusted for other programs. \u00a0Check online\u00a0or with the EDC for sample rubrics\u2014there\u00a0are many teaching tools out\u00a0there to help you to help your students!)<\/p>\n

Step 2: Marking (or, Why\u00a0Timers\u00a0Are Your Friends!)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Using a\u00a0timer\u00a0(or a stopwatch) while marking writing assignments might\u00a0sound problematic or counter-intuitive, but if you know generally how\u00a0long an average essay takes you to mark, you should plan to spend the\u00a0same amount of time on each essay. This can allow for increased\u00a0fairness in the marking process, because you will spend an equal\u00a0amount of time on each student’s work, rather than starting the\u00a0marking process with vim and vigor and a will to eliminate all\u00a0unnecessary participles and then fading into the mysterious \u201c?\u201d and\u00a0\u201cawk.\u201d comments by the time you reach the bottom of the pile. This\u00a0will also help you to avoid the fatigue associated with combing\u00a0through dauntingly high piles of papers, because you will be better\u00a0able to plan for breaks and your own work more appropriately.<\/p>\n

Step 3: Feedback (or, Everything I Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten)<\/strong><\/p>\n

One method for maximizing the efficiency of your marking and feedback\u00a0process is to use the tried and tested \u201cTwo\u00a0Stars\u00a0& A\u00a0Wish\u201d\u00a0kindergarten model, also known as forward-looking, constructive\u00a0feedback. Leave space for comments on your rubric, and use that space\u00a0to (a) address the student by name, (b) note at least\u00a0two\u00a0areas where\u00a0the student performed well or improved from the last assignment, and\u00a0(c) suggest a specific section where the student could improve. This\u00a0is beneficial to the top students, because it gives them information\u00a0about how to continue to excel, and it is helpful to the students who\u00a0need improvement, because it tells them where (or how!) they may need\u00a0to work harder.<\/p>\n

Step 4:\u00a0Good luck and don’t forget to have fun this year!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sources & Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Byrnes, Ron. \u00a0\u201cEvaluating Student Work: A Different Kind of Feedback.\u201d\u00a0The Teaching Professor<\/em>. \u00a0April 2005, p 3.<\/p>\n

Wimer, Maryellen. \u00a0“What Students Take from the Feedback.” \u00a0The\u00a0Teaching Professor<\/em>. \u00a0April 2005, p. 2.<\/p>\n

Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence<\/em>, Carnegie Mellon University<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By: Amanda Murphy If you’re wondering how time-keeping devices, astronomy, and mysticism\u00a0can make you a more effective teacher, then read on! If you find\u00a0yourself overwhelmed by the combined responsibilities of your own\u00a0research and giving careful feedback to large numbers of students, try\u00a0using a rubric, a timer, and a systematic, generally positive marking\u00a0process to preserve your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[759],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nBlog: Rubrics, Timers, and "Two Stars & a Wish" - Teaching and Learning Services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"By: Amanda Murphy If you're wondering how time-keeping devices, astronomy, and mysticism\u00a0can make you a more effective teacher, then read on! 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