Taming the Paper Monster - How to Hand Back Papers Faster

       As if grading papers wasn't bad enough, handing them back can take up so much time. So I thought I'd share a little process I started 2 years ago that has saved me a ton of time.
       It started when I realized how long it took to walk around the classroom to each student to give them their paper. There HAD to be a faster way.
       So I started this process, and I lurve it!!! (though, I'm always welcome to even better ideas!)

My classroom has 6 rows, so instead of walking around the room, I sort them into 6 piles on my desk.

When I'm done sorting one class period's papers, I stack them together, with each row rotated 90 degrees to make it easy to hand out later.

I stuff them into the right class period cubby in my paper organizer.

Then when one class period leaves, I quickly plop the paper stacks onto the desks for the next class period. The student at the front of each row, finds his/her paper, then passes the rest of the stack behind him. Viola! Every paper handed back.

       Almost! What about the pesky papers with no names on them?!?!? That's what this section on my white board is for. I just magnet clip them to the white board under the No-Name Hall of Shame.

I know some of you might be thinking though, But I thought Rule #5 of Effective Communication in the Classroom said No Blaming or Shaming?! And you're right...we need a new name for this wall, don't we? Any suggestions?

       And that's the process. That sorting trick at my desk has saved me so much time, but I'm always open to new tricks. So if you know an even faster, more effective way, share your thoughts in the comments section. Let's help each other become efficiency machines and tame the paper monster!

NOTE: Paper Monster image credit goes to Neat Company. They'll help you organize your home office to be super neat! (We weren't paid by Neat at all to say that :)

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