https://tuteachercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Excel-grading.mp4 Spreadsheets make calculating students’ grades quick and easy. They’re efficient and can be easily updated if anything changes, saving you from redoing all the math. Plus, they help keep everything organized and accurate, reducing mistakes. With a digital backup, your data is safe and easy to share with the school office, making it simple to include grades on report cards. Overall, spreadsheets make grading a breeze! If you’ve never done this before, here’s a step-by-step guide to creating your custom grading spreadsheet. 1. Set Up the Spreadsheet Header Open Excel and in Row 1, create the following headers: A1: Student Name B1: Test 1 C1: Test 2 D1: Test 3 E1: Test 4 F1: Final Score G1: Grade You can adjust the number of assignments/tests to suit your needs. 2. Enter Students’ Scores In rows 2 and onward, enter data for each student. Example: A2: Aviva B2: 85 C2: 90 D2: 88 E2: 92 Do this for each student in rows below. Formulas to Enter Average Score (In cell F2)  =AVERAGE(B2:E2) Copy this formula down column F for all students. Letter Grade (in cell G2) =IF(F2>=90,”A”,IF(F2>=80,”B”,IF(F2>=70,”C”,IF(F2>=60,”D”,”F”)))) Copy this down column G for all students.   TIP: to quickly copy

There’s nothing more exhilarating than a pile of marked papers. And there’s nothing more overwhelming than a pile of unmarked test papers. Testing and accurate marking are necessary to hold students accountable and give them the feedback they crave. Here are some tips to lighten your marking load and help you finish the school year paperwork-free!   In General: Plan Ahead When creating your test, set up the questions to make the marking move quicker. Use more short-answer or multiple-choice questions. (Click HERE for more tips on creating tests.) Small increments Tackle five to ten tests at a time. Section by section Create a sample answer sheet and cut out the answers to each section. Put the answer key near the students’ answers to rely less on your memory. Magic Marker Hire an assistant or a colleague to help with grading.   For Essays and Long Answers: Use symbols or colors to provide quick feedback instead of writing lengthy comments. Criteria for Success: By clarifying expectations in advance, you can reduce the time you spend deliberating over grades, and students will be less likely to dispute their grades. For Rating Sheets Use Excel or Google Spreadsheets to calculate averages. (Click

“Last day’s lesson? Sore topic!” says a fourth-grade teacher. “I can never predict how long the end-of-year assembly will last, so every year I end up either over-planning or under-planning the closure activity!” Navigating the school year’s close can be quite challenging for educators. With various school-wide assemblies and the need to wrap up the curriculum, finding the balance of a quick-but-impactful activity can be tough. However, incorporating one of the following interactive activities can transform the last days of school into a valuable opportunity to celebrate student achievements, share cherished memories, and strengthen the sense of community among classmates. These activities can be adapted to fit a time frame of 15 to 45 minutes, allowing teachers to maintain flexibility as needed. Craft On the last day of school, a third-grade teacher we asked said she wraps up the scrapbook page for the final bracha of Shemone Esrei. “Crafts are a joyful way to conclude the year, allowing students to take pride in their accomplishments,” she shares. Compliment Cards This is a creative twist on the traditional autograph page! Use this template to let students share compliments with their classmates. Customize the document to create an individual sheet for each

Creating Questions Create an outline of the material taught Mark “must know” vs. “nice to know” information. When creating questions, prioritize questions on “must know” content  Be cognizant of students’ skills and age level when choosing types of questions Think ahead towards marking: True/false, multiple choice, matching = quick scoring. Open-ended questions = more time-consuming.   Fine-Tuning Take the exam yourself; time it to gauge difficulty. Have someone else take the exam for perspective. This will help you be aware of potential issues students may face. Write clear instructions for each test section. Include a warm note or poem in the cover letter for the final to reduce stress.   Preparing Your Students Distribute copies of your outline to students. This provides them with a framework for studying and helps them realize that the content is not infinite.  Teach effective study strategies. (You can refer to this article for ideas on how to prepare students for the testing season.)

Over the years, I’ve observed that many students struggle with navigating complex subject matter and managing their time effectively, while juggling a budding teen’s social life. Many may not have fully developed studying skills yet, so it’s crucial that we teach them effective methods.  To help them, I compiled a list of practical tips that I share every year during one of our last lessons.   By equipping students with essential skills, we can help them succeed academically while also fostering healthy relationships. I want to share these insights so you can pass them on to your students.   Tips for Students Choose a study environment that enhances your focus. Consider kicking off your studying at home and joining a group of friends later. Ensure you have everything you need in place before you start. This includes books, seforim, notes, school supplies, and refreshments. Familiarize yourself with the possuk. Read the words in Lashon Hakodesh and translate the pshat before consulting your notes or meforshim. Read aloud, even when you’re alone, because it improves retention. This is especially helpful with pesukim that you’ll need to recognize on the test. Plan ahead to avoid cramming by studying 2-3 days in advance

Group projects are a great way to bring energy to your classroom! The combination of autonomy, creativity, and competition inspires healthy productivity.Criteria for Success are crucial when introducing the project. List the requirements with a clear and authoritative header, such as, “Your Project Must Include.” When outlining your project criteria, ensure it includes a list of nouns rather than verbs. Supply oak tags and markers to inspire artistic students and allow them to express their creativity. Criteria for success are clear, specific standards used to evaluate whether a school project achieves its intended objectives. They guide students and teachers in assessing the project’s quality, effectiveness,and completeness.     Sample Group Project: Yom Tov YOUR GROUP’S SUBMISSION MUST INCLUDE:       Sample Group Project: Chumash/Navi YOUR GROUP’S SUBMISSION MUST INCLUDE: Download Sample Projects  

A High School classroom is an excellent space for growth-oriented discussion, even during secular studies. Bashy, a teacher of ninth-grade English Language Arts, uses literary pieces on self-growth topics during Sefira.  She sometimes brings in children’s books, too. The students love the lighter atmosphere that picture books bring. The lesson is structured just like all other Literature classes, and the theme, rhyme structure, imagery, etc. spark quality literary discussion.  She has some favorites that she shared with us: Click to download Oak and the Rose by Shel Silverstein Zebra Question by Shel Silverstein The Journey of Success by Nancy Hammel Download Articles     Books that can be purchased at national bookstores   The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss A typical Dr. Seuss-style book about a community of Sneetches who are divided into two groups: those with stars on their bellies and those without. Through the storyline, the Sneetches realize that their external differences do not define their worth, leading to a conclusion about equality and friendship. Brings home the meaninglessness of peer pressure and how people tend to perpetuate such an environment. Amazon Link     One by Karthyn Otoshi A book about a group of colored circles who stand

The end-of-year curriculum crunch It’s usually not more than eight weeks – ten, tops.  For some, it feels more like five months. For others, three days.  Approach any teacher during those air-conditioner-blasting, summer-fever-burning school days and tell her you need her class for an hour. She’ll either bless you or plead the verge of tears, promising you anything at all, if you just let her continue teaching for that precious hour.  What’s your core challenge in those last weeks of school – too much to cover or nothing to teach?  It’s all dependent on an endless list of factors, such as grade level, subject, class temperament or learning style, teacher personality, the interplay between Hebrew and secular calendar, and testing schedules. Throw in a few unforeseen circumstances, performances, trips, state tests, reviews, finals, memory-making, etc.,  and the short few weeks are shortened by another one or two weeks, at least.  A select (and much-envied!) few seem to have it down to a science, breezing right through May and June while others rush to cram it all in.  No matter your style – we get you – and we’ve got you covered.  Which one are you?  So little time and still