I want
students to write more, but I want to grade less. It just so happens I found an
avenue to make this happen.
students to write more, but I want to grade less. It just so happens I found an
avenue to make this happen.
For five
weeks in a row, I’ve had my sophomores spend the first half of block writing
about a selected passage from Jane Eyre.
During the second half of block, they use a single-point rubric to peer edit in
a round-robin fashion.
weeks in a row, I’ve had my sophomores spend the first half of block writing
about a selected passage from Jane Eyre.
During the second half of block, they use a single-point rubric to peer edit in
a round-robin fashion.
After that,
each student decides which essay she would want to turn in for a grade. I
collect the “keepers” but I don’t grade them. The next week, after another
timed write and round of peer editing, I pass the keepers back out. Once again,
students choose between the essay they wrote today and the keeper from last
week. I collect the keepers again, and so on. It reminds me of being at the eye
doctor: “Which one is better? 1 or 2? Better here … or here?”
each student decides which essay she would want to turn in for a grade. I
collect the “keepers” but I don’t grade them. The next week, after another
timed write and round of peer editing, I pass the keepers back out. Once again,
students choose between the essay they wrote today and the keeper from last
week. I collect the keepers again, and so on. It reminds me of being at the eye
doctor: “Which one is better? 1 or 2? Better here … or here?”
Today is
the last week, and at the end of the day, I will have a stack of keepers to
grade. They will have written five in-class essays and I only have to grade
one.
the last week, and at the end of the day, I will have a stack of keepers to
grade. They will have written five in-class essays and I only have to grade
one.
Here are some
of the benefits:
of the benefits:
- Students do not receive a letter
grade until the final one, so they have to look beyond “the bottom line” and
actually think about how they are doing - Students engage regularly with
the rubric to better understand how to write well - Students learn to rely on their
peers for feedback instead of seeing the teacher as the only expert in the room - Students rely on their instincts
and self-evaluative skills—they take ownership of their writing - Each week is another opportunity
to out-do the last keeper, so students are motivated to do their best each time
(you should see them scribbling away!) - If a student misses class or has
a bad day, she knows she will have four other opportunities, so it takes the
stress level down - In-class, handwritten writing reduces
cheating - It’s great for formative assessment:
I can quickly read through the stack of keepers and intervene individually for
comprehension gaps or writing skill gaps - Students are compelled to
consider key passages from Jane Eyre
that they may have glossed over in their reading - Students have choice in which of
their essays receives a grade - Students practice a type of
passage study they will see on the SAT and AP tests - Increased writing volume and frequency
- Students receive instant feedback
on the same day from their peers - Students get to see how 2-3 other
students approached the same passage and prompt - Peer editing happens while the
writing itself is fresh in their minds - Students talk to each other about
their approaches while they do their round-robin peer editing
I’m so
excited about how well this works and hope to adapt it going forward.
excited about how well this works and hope to adapt it going forward.