Checking Work Carefully
March 6, 2013 | Posted in: Class Updates
In class today, we had a rather serious conversation about checking work CAREFULLY. Since third grade (and perhaps even earlier), students have been expected to check over their work after completing it. At different times during the school year, we discuss what “checking your work” actually means. It isn’t quickly flipping through a packet to make sure it “looks good” and “nice” and “pretty.” Checking over your work is an active process where you do many things. Here are some (not all) of the elements of checking over work, listed in order from most basic to more advanced:
BASIC
Do I see any huge problems that “jump out” and grab my attention?
Is my name on the paper? Did I complete ALL parts of the task?
Is my work neat and easy to understand?
(After rereading directions) Did I do what I was supposed to do?
Do I agree with my answers? (Yes, this involves rereading the questions and your answers, not just LOOKING at what you put down!)
Can I somehow improve my answers? (Usually limited to open-ended responses, not multiple choice questions.)
Am I proud to hand this in?
ADVANCED
How deeply a student checks their work can often make the difference between catching errors and improving responses vs leaving sloppy mistakes that make a student look less skilled than they actually are. Today, all kids who took CMTs with us in Room 209 completed with at least 10 minutes to spare, meaning that most students had ample time to check over their work.
Unfortunately, we have recently had a lot of problems in class with students submitting work with SKIPPED items! I found this in a few mastery tests today (that students were able to fix during the testing period, fortunately) and have also seen it in plenty of recent assignments, including math assessments and other major work samples. In each instance, I ask the child if they checked their work, and they tell me that they did. Clearly, they only made it through the first part of checking work over.
I hope, this evening, that parents can take a few moments to review with their students the importance of carefully checking work over. I’ve spoken at length with the kids about how CMTs (and other assessments) help us to see what they do and do not know, and that I only expect them to do their very best (rather than expecting a specific score). When items are skipped and marked wrong, the student appears to know less and perform worse than is actually the case. I hope we can, together, help the kids to improve their attention to detail when checking their work. This is an important life skill (stretching well beyond the reach of the Connecticut Mastery Tests) and is a habit that kids must develop.
Kids: Log in and post a comment to this article. Write a few sentences explaining how YOU will make sure that you are carefully checking over your work. Try to think of a way that you will REMEMBER to carefully review your work (whether it’s a CMT, a unit test, or just regular classwork or homework). Perhaps we can all share our ideas and help each other to find ways to remember to carefully examine their work to make sure it’s well done!
44 Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
1213-1
March 6, 2013
I can make sure that I check my work over by the last problem or question and write “CHECK WORK OVER” and I would do just that.This might be good advice or it could be bad advice.(If you don’t take the advice don’t bother to take my advice)
😉
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
Good idea, 1. But be careful doing this on the CMTs, since stray marks can cause scoring goofs. Maybe remembering that the STOP sign also is a signal to check your work would accomplish the same goal.
1213-19
March 6, 2013
I agree 1 I think its a good idea.
1213-17
March 6, 2013
Did i put my name on the paper.
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
Definitely a good thing to check! How will you remember to do this?
1213-17
March 6, 2013
I think first you need to finish the test. Then you go back to finish the skipped questions. Then go back to the beginning of the test and re-read all the questions and answers. If there is ten minutes left you can check it over again for a final check.
1213-3
March 6, 2013
A way that I can remember to check my work is that on the front of the test I can draw a circle and when I see the it I check my work. When i’m done checking my work I can put a check in the circle.
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
Ooooooh! I like this! But like I said to #1 – be careful with adding extra marks onto the CMTs. It might cause problems. But this could definitely work on other tasks!!!
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
Gang, I need to log off for a few hours. Back later! I’ll be reading your posts throughout the evening, even if you don’t see me replying.
1213-4
March 6, 2013
I will make sure I check my work CAREFULLY by “solving” the problems again. That way, I can do it 2 times so I can double check it. It also shows me if I skipped a problem. Maybe even 3 times. 4 times? 5 times?( “It gos on and on and on…”)
1213-4
March 6, 2013
I think these are all fantastic ideas!*
*Even Red Sox fans.
1213-11
March 6, 2013
Really
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
Oh, I knew I was going to regret my Yankees crack this morning… 🙂
4, I like your goal. Don’t commit to checking your work three or four times. That’s overdoing it. One THOROUGH check is much better than three or four sloppy checks.
1213-10
March 6, 2013
check through carefuly to see if there are any missed problems or if I can understand what I have wrote.
1213-5
March 6, 2013
To make sure that I check my work I will get a sticky note and write, “CHECK YOUR WORK!”
1213-19
March 6, 2013
I think that is a really good idea to remember to check you work.
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
I agree! I wonder if we can create some sort of reusable sticker or something! Hmm… My brain is working hard to think of ideas… 🙂
1213-9
March 6, 2013
I would look over each problem carfully and make sure each problem
is correct with my extra time.
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
Remember, it’s not always a matter of right or wrong. Sometimes it’s an opinion (especially in reading) and you’re checking to see if your answer is well written (with good support), not just if it’s right or wrong.
1213-19
March 6, 2013
If I had to check my work I would try to remember that I made a mistake
(if I had any) and go back to check it. Another way that I would check my work is by after reading and answering the question I would go
back and check my work.
PS. REALLY 4 you are.
goooooodbbyyye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1213-19
March 6, 2013
I got cut off.
1213-2
March 6, 2013
I can check over my work carefully by rereading something or read a math problem a couple of times. Also,you should always remember to put your name on the top of the paper because if you don’t have it the teacher might throw away your paper and not grade you in that area.Last thing is you that you should always try to improve on a response,for example,if I write something and I don’t like it or don’t understand would edit it .
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
As you get older, your teachers won’t be able to identify a “nameless” paper by the handwriting. The work will be thrown away and you will have to redo it (if you’re lucky) or you will receive a score of a 0 or an F, which would be really disappointing. Good points, 2!
1213-2
March 6, 2013
I can check over my work carefully by rereading a question and rereading a answer Also, I should always remember to put my name on the top of the paper because if don’t have my name the teacher might throw away my paper and not grade me in that area. Last thing is that I should always try to improve on a response, for example, if I write something and I don’t like it or don’t understand it, I would edit it and carefully read over my work.
1213-11
March 6, 2013
I can remember to do all of this by putting the list on a sticky note and maybe put it out on my desk or put it inside my desk. That is how I would remember to do everything like check my work and put my name on the paper
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
I like your ideas, 11. Let’s make a reminder poster in class! Would you like to help with this?
1213-8
March 6, 2013
One way I think that we can check over our work is to stick a sticky note to you that says
CHECK OVER YOUR WORK
Thats it folks see you next time on #8 sentral only on TRU TV
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
“LOL” 🙂 Maybe we can all make some desk signs!
1213-6
March 6, 2013
One way to check your work is to make sure you go over every problem carefuly. You (if you have time) should go over every problem indavidualy. If you cant go over every problem at LEAST go over the page well.
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
You did a great job distinguishing between what to do when you’re short on time and what to do when you have plenty of time. Nice!
1213-7
March 6, 2013
I will remember all this by putting, check work over, write my name and something like that on a sticky note.
1213-7
March 6, 2013
And putting it in my desk.
1213-16
March 6, 2013
I’d remind myself by writing a reminder on a sticky note and sticking it
on my desk.If it’s a CMT the machine won’t see the mark.So once I’m finished I see on the note GO BACK AND CHECK YOUR WORK and I’d remember to check my work.
1213-22
March 6, 2013
ALLWAYS CHECK YOUR WORK when you done CMT
1213-22
March 6, 2013
i didnt do CMT
1213-22
March 6, 2013
Always check your work when youy done with CMT
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
I agree!
1213-14
March 6, 2013
I will remember by write the word remember to check the work over on sticky note and stick it on my desk.
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
Good thinking, 14!
1213-18
March 6, 2013
I’d would write a reminder on a piece of paper so when I am done with the CMTs. I can remember to check every thing and make sure that I didn’t miss any problems.
jonmoss
March 6, 2013
“Yuuuuuuup!”
1213-20
March 6, 2013
After finishing my work I will go back and check my work if I have any mistake or if I missed something.
Goooood bye…………
1213-12
March 6, 2013
I would try to review every question and do every type of checking your work, from basic to advanced. That way I would be proud to hand in my work. I will remember to do that by making a mental note to myself to check my work.
1213-21
March 6, 2013
I would put a sticky note on or inside of my desk that says REMEMBER TO CHECK OVER MY WORK AND AFTER I’M DONE WITH A TEST OF ANY KIND.Then after i’m finished with a test I will look at the note and check my test over. I will also carefully review instructions and answers after completing my work :^)