The other day I noticed the fun I experienced marking students’ work when I chose to remain open, relaxed and connected to what they were learning. I opened myself up to see beyond what the curriculum requirements were, and was instead assessing the level of connection I made with each student.
For as long as I can remember I had always thought marking needed to be done quickly and was a burden on my teaching time. The piles were never-ending and the pace with which marking was done was fast, with little regard for the student and their work. Darting around the classroom in order to mark the work before I began another set of teaching instructions felt like the norm.
The levels of exhaustion I experienced made me feel racy and there was no connection with the students or with their work. I gave little consideration to how I could support them to go to the next stage of learning, or to consolidate their current levels of learning.
The teaching phase was fun and by far the most enjoyable stage. I would introduce the topic and get the ball rolling with practical examples and engage the children in each step. The children would share and laugh whilst learning. Everyone was focused and the learning was meaningful, relevant and there was a sense of ease in which this was done. Every lesson was simple and the children were part of the teaching rather than doing all the learning. This unfortunately was lost once I moved to the marking mode. I could feel my relaxed and open body turn into a hard machine, ready to race through the assembly line of paper marking.
When I made the choice to stop and connect more to the steady pace in which I was teaching, I noticed there was no need to go into the overwhelm of what the idea of assessing and marking brings to teaching.
The playful interactions that took place with the simple daily over the shoulder marking made me realise how much the students enjoyed the ‘one to one’ connection they were receiving. Every interaction with a child was simple and varied, according to what they needed:
A supportive hand on the shoulder…
A playful gentle tap on the head …
A tender touch of the hand…
A knowing glance of ‘you’ve got it’…
A cheeky wink to say… yep! …. You’re on the right track.
With this way of marking their work came a deeper level of understanding about how the children crave this connection and wait patiently for their turn. I could feel them nuzzle into their chairs, brushing gently past my arms as I began to mark. Their eyes were open and engaged in what I had to share. They talked more and their voices had a giggling tone that invited more connection. They were not disappointed or hard on themselves if they didn’t fully understand the teaching concept, as they knew the support was always there.
Marking and assessing can be a task that overwhelms and overloads but with that comes a fall in the quality of connection that the children are clearly receptive and open to.
Assessing how to connect to a student is what true marking is about. When we assess what is needed at each moment the marking becomes simple, fun and straightforward.
By Anonymous, Teacher, Mentoring Teacher and Program Facilitator, Australia
Further Reading:
The power of relationship in the classroom
Circle time: an opportunity for connection and expression
Education, Schools & Teaching our Kids: ‘Quality of Presence’ in the Classroom
Teachers are Gold
503 Comments
I love the difference you noticed when you chose to reverse your decision to make it about the task ahead of about people. We are social beings and connecting with one another is our most natural way of being. In fact anything less than this registers as stress and exhausts us. What you share here is a powerful insight we could use in any and every area of life.
Everyone loves playfulness and connection, so I understand why the children enjoyed how you were with them, ‘The playful interactions that took place with the simple daily over the shoulder marking made me realise how much the students enjoyed the ‘one to one’ connection they were receiving.’
Reading this makes me realise that often we think we have to work as quickly as possible; ‘When I made the choice to stop and connect more to the steady pace in which I was teaching, I noticed there was no need to go into the overwhelm of what the idea of assessing and marking brings to teaching.’ When we work in rush and drive then the connection to ourselves and others is not there. It is the connection that is key and from here children and adults will feel supported and more able to work productively.
Anonymous, I love what you are sharing in this article, it makes me realise that connection with people is the most important part and that the outcome is second. This changes everything and I can feel makes work and life more joyful and purposeful.
To know the support is always there is truly supportive for the children as they learn and understand new skills, ‘They were not disappointed or hard on themselves if they didn’t fully understand the teaching concept, as they knew the support was always there.’
When we assess the level of connection we are making with another it opens the door to going deeper and becoming more intimate with another.
Connecting from our essence to another’s essence allows space for magic to occur within and around us.
Working with children to support them in understanding the ‘3 Rs’ is an opportunity to share with them the understanding of living in harmony with each other at the same time.
In our openness to connect with another we offer confirmation to each other of the love we are in essence which is empowering for us all. As in this world we live in today it is not set up for us to be met for who we are in essence. The more we can maximise these opportunities that more we feel empowered to live who we know we are and walk tall with the grandness of our being.
I love this. Connection is the most fundamental part of relating and to allow ourselves that individual touch, being with each person honouring their presence and expressing how we feel and communicating what is needed is a beautiful way for a teacher to be with students.
Connection is the missing ingredient to our current global education system that is far from making connection the foundational part of the curriculum.
Bringing in connection as a basis in education would be transformational, and is desperately needed.
This revelation is massive in its implications and what it exposes about our current education system which puts connections at the bottom of the pile when it comes to importance in education.
When we make it about connection first, children respond and life is simple and full of joy. Focus only on the doing and achieving then life becomes a struggle.
Connection is the missing ingredient in education – bring in connection and you have a classroom management program!
I remember when at school some sixty odd years ago, you had to get everything right or you were in trouble, no laughing was aloud in the classroom, school was considered serious business. Your students are so blessed to have you as their teacher, where you can meet each one for who they truly are, with such a beautiful connection, with your knowing of how to bring joy and fun into the learning process.