Weekly Wrap-up for November 13, 2011: Grading Day.

For my very first long-term sub job out of college, I had a ritual every week on Sundays. I was only teaching history, and since history was my secondary degree, I didn't take teaching methods courses for it. So, in agony, I would spend every Sunday at the kitchen table in my parents' house, grading papers and creating lessons, worksheets, etc for the next week.

On one hand, I liked the idea of getting it all done in one day. But usually by Wednesday, plans would change, or I would have a better idea, and I would have to change everything anyway. I also hated the amount of grading I would do. As a new teacher, I had a really hard time with understanding that I didn't have to grade everything. So I collected EVERYTHING-notes, handouts, reactions to lessons, etc. It was ridiculous.

Now that I am older and wiser, I know better. I am pretty good at getting papers back to kids on a regular basis. I don't stress out as much about lessons since I have a few tricks up my sleeve if I wind up with an extra ten minutes.

But, every once in awhile, I need a grading marathon, and today is going to be one of those days. Because while I really want to read The Portrait of a Lady all afternoon, my grading pile is a little on the large side, and I have a stack of rhetorical analysis essays to grade (eek). I can suck it up for one Sunday, considering the fact that in 7 short school days, I won't be teaching anymore.

Those are my plans for the day, but I hope yours includes more reading. :)

There will be an informational post going up this afternoon about the Shakespeare event I am hosting in January (I know that I am putting it up SUPER early, but I am kind of excited about it). There will also be a sign-up post for December Group Reads going up tomorrow (including Paradiso), so be excited for that. An Austen title is the other choice!

I hope you all have a wonderful reading week!