Entry #6

When thinking of assessing writing I would like to adopt Tompkins' (2008) motto that "teachers should focus on the writers themselves" (p. 76). As we have discussed in class, the main focus should first be on the writer and then on the writing. Assessing writing is not always about the quality of the end result, but the path that students take to arrive at their end result. In Tompkins (2008) words, "Process assessment  is designed to probe how children write, the decisions they make as writers, and the strategies they use rather than the quality of their finished products" (p. 81). By focusing on the writer we can ensure that we are scaffolding the writing process for students and gradually releasing them to take on more responsibility of their own when they write. 

I think that anytime students can be involved in assessment it is beneficial for them. The teacher should not be the one who holds back information from her students, but rather shares their progress with them throughout the process. Checklists help to ease this process by providing a simplistic reminder to students and teachers that this is what needs to be included for that assignment. Teachers should not create assessments in isolation, but should incorporate student input whenever possible. If students are true writers then they should be able to articulate what work needs to go into a well-done written piece. Creating a rubric together is an excellent review for students. By talking through the process and what is expected of them then they are more likely to retain the information and be more conscious writers during writer's workshop. 

I also have to agree with Tompkins (2008) when she claims that "self-evaluation is a natural part of writing" (p. 84). When we us assessments like checklists and rubrics we are creating guidelines for our students to help them self-monitor their own writing process. However, we do not want them to finish writing and then just abandon the whole assignment. Self-evaluation is a critical and natural component of the writing process and one that in my opinion is often forgotten. I loved Tompkins (2008) ideas about having students write a brief reflection after completing or deciding to finish a written piece. These can then be attached to the piece and placed in the student's writing portfolio. This is another helpful tool to look at overall growth and the students thinking about their writing at that point in the year. 

Conferencing is another aspect of assessment that I think is extremely beneficial. It can be done in many ways as Tompkins (2008) outlines, but each conference should have a specific purpose and the student should walk away with a new plan of attack for their written piece. Tompkins (2008) says "the teacher's role is to be a listener and a guide" during conferences (p. 77). It does not say that teachers should be a forceful figure who pressures students to write the way they want them to write. We must remember that everyone's writing process is different. Sometimes it is difficult for teachers to hold back, but part of the writing process is prompting students to figure things out on their own or with a peer. Sommers (1982) makes a valid point that "teachers' comments can take students' attention away from their own purposes in writing a particular text and focus that attention on the teachers' purpose in commenting" (p. 149). I had never really thought about teachers' feedback like this before, but reading this article provided me with a moment of clarity. Reflecting on my own education, I can recall falling into this trap of losing my sense of purpose to fulfill the teacher's wishes. It happens without us even realizing because at a young age we are taught to respect our teachers and to obey them. 

When thinking of effective conferencing we need to be very clear and purposeful in the comments with which we provide students. We must act as a listener and a guide who assists students in their process. We must also stay true to the purpose of the conference. If it is for revising then that is what we should focus on, not mechanical errors. Sommers (1982) discusses how it can be awfully confusing for students to receive a paper with the teacher's comments about organization and development as well as comments about how to change mechanical errors. As teachers we need to stay true to the process if we expect our students to and marking up their paper with every possible correction is not the best way to provide meaningful assessment. 

Lastly, sometimes the burden of grading numerous papers at a time is tiresome and frustrating for teachers, especially at the secondary level. I really think that if we set up a writing workshop like the one that we are doing in LTED 618 right now and the way that Tompkins (2008) recommends we can avoid the massive amount of grading that comes along with teaching. Well, maybe avoid is not the right word, but rather break up the grading into smaller chunks. If students are free to work on the writing process at their own pace then it is less likely that the whole class will finish at the same time. This allows the teacher to really focus their attention on providing meaningful feedback to one small group at a time. Conferencing becomes less overwhelming because not all students need to conference at the same time. I ran into this problem yesterday when I was subbing in a fourth grade classroom. During writing workshop, the students were all working on editing their final drafts of a persuasive essay they have been working on. I found it very difficult to have individual conferences with students because the demand was too high. The whole time I kept thinking how doing a status of the class would be so beneficial for this class because some students were mostly done and others were still struggling with the assignment. This made me realize how I truly believe that students should be given freedom to move between the stages in the writing process when they have been given the okay and are ready to do so. I cannot wait to use these techniques during writers workshop in my own classroom someday.