You climb and climb those purple covers
Jutting out like rocky crags
That cry out loud for biro marks
In fiery red. An angry Yes! Well done!
Or a sullen Could do better
Did you even consider
A little revision? Did you think of me,
Marking for hours as the night ticks on
And I reach my the very top
Of my purple marking mountain.
Two weeks ago, I set all my classes an assessment task, which is all well and good until I remember that means I’ve just given myself 150 books to mark in just over two weeks. At ten minutes a book, that’s a lot of hours spent going through all those purple exercise books.
Teachers get a lot of stick for our long holidays and I have to admit that is a real perk of the job. But a lot of people also forget that there is a lot of marking and admin that goes on around the ‘fun’ part of the job.
Roday, I finished the last of those books and I felt so relieved, I almost burst into tears. It doesn’t matter how little your mountain is, if it’s been weighing heavily on you, it can feel like winning that Olympic gold when it’s all over.
Well done to me and to anyone else who reached the summit of their mountain today. You deserve a bit of chocolate now – and maybe a custard cream or two.
Much Love
Rachel xx
Margot Kinberg
I’m so glad you got finished your marking. It’s definitely one of the hidden parts of teaching that take up so much of our time. And it’s always the most major relief when it’s done!
patientandkindlove
I’ve never felt so relieved. I’ve learnt my lesson and I will always try to stagger my assessments a bit more.
clcouch123
Congratulations on completing all the marking! As an English teacher, I gave assignments that were nearly always narrative. Essays, mostly. I think it is the better way for teachers to know what students know. But you’re right–that means we have to examine what’s turned in. All the pages. Well, as my folklore professor liked to say, quoting Macbeth, lead on!
patientandkindlove
Oh, I do sometimes wonder why I didn’t just train to be a PE teacher. Those guys have a great time while the English lots are burind underneath 150 essays.