Twitter Me This

The Excel Theatre blog posts a collection of Excel-related tweets. Most of these tend to run along the extremes of love and hate for using the software, but whatever the emotion, they are entertaining to read.


I wondered about grading. I started noticing last year that there are a preponderance of tweets on grading---usually on Sunday evenings. Although the school year is just gearing up, it would appear that observations related to grading are already in full swing. Here is a sample from the last week:

• If I tailor my classes to students who don't give a shit, does that mean no more grading?! http://onion.com/9xnQEU 
• I believe I have successfully been deterred from teaching...I don't like grading! 
• I need help grading papers! Who wanna help! I got food and beer
• #handcramp from grading papers....................... 
• Grading is a bitch
• I really should be doing something productive.....like grading these papers but y would I want to do that?? That's no fun. 
• Grading papers.... So wack!!! I need a new job asap
• Grading essays is not my thing. this child does not know how to write an essay. I will throw up if i read another error.
• It's Labor Day, so I'm laboring: grading papers, projects and videos.  
• Grading. Yup, it still sucks.
• Now to do some mental labor. Grading papers.
• Grading labs for my other job. Grading is the only part of teaching I despise, really.
• Why am I so proud of myself for grading instead of watching football? Am I that irresponsible? #rhetoricaltweets
• hell must be grading the essays of students who lack a basic comprehension of the simplest grammar rules  (Note from me: Such as not using a capital at the beginning of a sentence and punctuation at the end?)
• I had grading nightmares for years after I quit teaching. 
• Avoiding grading papers on a holiday, though I need to hand them back soon. The house, not coincidentally, is remarkably clean. (Note from me: This was my MO for most of my career.)
• I'm grading papers on Labor Day. Somehow this just seems wrong. 
• I wanted a cookout with big fat hamburgers and potato salad. :) Instead I get...grading! 
• Just realized I hate grading!!! But someone has to do it, I need an assistant and I am the assistant. #fml!! 
• Grading essays is the worst part of the job. 
• I am grading. *flat monotone* I love grading. Grading is so much fun. (I can do this! I know I can!)  

One of the things I always ask a group when I present on grading is "Who likes to grade?" I usually get laughed at. Who could possibly enjoy grading? It's a good entry point to talking about what you're doing as a teacher and the things you can do differently to make it simpler and more meaningful. So many focus on the nitpicky pieces and have no clue about the big picture of learning in the classroom. Shouldn't grading be one of the best parts of teaching---the opportunity to finally see how your instruction and guidance have made a difference in student learning? And if that stack of papers sitting there staring at you doesn't excite you, then maybe it's time to rethink what you're collecting and why. 


My plan this year is to regularly collect tweets related to grading and disperse some tips on managing the day-to-day aspects of grading. What would you say about grading (in 140 characters or less)?