How I reduced my marking time from 4 hours a week to 15 minutes

April 1, 2025

Reading each student’s work each week, at a rate of ten minutes each, took nearly two and a half hours. Thinking of suitable comments, adding them in to the appropriate place in Google Classroom, and updating my spreadsheet markbook took another hour and a half.

Something had to be done.

Using AI to mark students' work: postscript

September 16, 2024

I didn’t think AI's answer was good enough. I didn’t ask how ethical the proposals were. I asked it to mark an Economics essay.

Using AI to mark students' work

September 13, 2024

The Department for Education in England is running a study on how AI might be used for marking work. I thought I’d test AI’s ability to mark a student’s economics essay.

On this day #7: Marking workload reduction

November 22, 2020

The only thing worse than feeling tired but knowing you have to mark 30 books by tomorrow morning is that feeling of ennui at 5 o-clock on a grim Sunday evening when all you want to do is curl up with a mug of tea and watch a movie, but having those exercise books smirking back at you.

How I became more efficient at marking and got my life back

November 22, 2018

Here is a short exposition of the changes I made in order to reduce the amount of marking I had to take home with me.

Robot, by Terry. OK, so I'm useless at drawing. Get over it!

Robots, artificial intelligence and all that

October 5, 2017

Call me a dreamer, but I think AI and robots are developments to be welcomed in education, not to worry about.

Such a shame that we can't look inside kids' heads. It would make assessment so much easier!

5 articles on assessment and assessing computing

April 28, 2016

How to assess pupils in Computing, marking, evaluation -- here are 5 articles that I hope you'll find challenging, thought-provoking and perhaps even useful!

My 10-point marking strategy

April 19, 2016

Marking is an important part of assessment, but it need not be unduly arduous.

Hollywood here I come. Or maybe not. Picture from pixabay.com CC0

Terry's 2 minute tips #1 Marking with coloured pens

April 12, 2016

Is marking with different coloured pens a good idea? That's the topic I cover in this edition of Terry's 2 Minute Tips.

What colour shall we use today? Picture from www.pixabay.com CC0

Marking with coloured pens? Don't make me laugh!

April 4, 2016

I find the notion of marking kids' work in different coloured pens ridiculous. Always have done.

Recent book reviews

Book review: The best writing on mathematics, 2016

I think this could be an excellent resource for teachers of mathematics.

For your Eng Lit colleagues? The Penguin Book of the International Short Story -- two reviews in one!

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote!

Two reviews in one: Turner and Constable: Rivals and Originals -- art and history

One for your colleagues, perhaps: art, art history, ploitics with a small ‘p’.

Two reviews in one: State of Ridicule: A History of Satire in English Literature -- politics, history, English

One for your colleagues, perhaps. Sperrin has provided a wealth of information that can be used to provide a rich experience for students of politics, history and English literature.

Two reviews in one: A Little History of Mathematics

I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published. The second one is what I actually wrote! In substantive terms there is little difference between the two, but you may find it interesting to see what the editor altered.

The Learning Rainforest Great Teaching in Real Classrooms Great Teaching in Real Classrooms.jpg

Review: The Learning Rainforest: Great Teaching in Real Classrooms

This is a great book for dipping into in order to read about different teaching and assessment strategies, backed up by research.

Outstanding Formative Assessment Culture and Practice.jpg

Review: Outstanding Formative Assessment: Culture and Practice

This book contains numerous assessment for learning techniques.

New Media in the Classroom Rethinking Primary Literacy.jpg

Review: New Media in the Classroom: Rethinking Primary Literacy

This provides a great deal of information about the different aspects of "literacy” and how digital tools can be brought into the service of literacy in the primary school.

Review: Designing the internet of things

This book takes you through the process of designing connected devices from prototyping to launching.

Quick look: (Un)educated: My Life as a Teacher, and Why You Should Never Become One

“Some of it is laugh-out loud funny, but some of it, about his reference being spiked, made me angry …”