How to teach: English - Chris Curtis 2019

Refusal
How to teach accuracy

Just say no. I often tell students that I am not going to mark a piece of work. Students need to know that we have high expectations of them. If I mark a piece of work that doesn’t use punctuation, it tells them that they can hand it in like this again. It is amazing how much of an impact you get from telling a student that you are not going to mark their work until they have done X or Y. We must articulate when effort or attention to detail is not good enough. A lack of care shows a lack of respect. The student should be working harder than the teacher.

I always think that the way we respond to work is important; praise everything and we devalue both the work and praise itself. I tend towards being sparse with praise. Regarding the effort put into a piece of work, praise should be worked for and punishment must be clear. Refusing to mark or read something until the student has done a bit more work sends a message: I think you are capable of more.