Writing More; Grading Less

Teaching gurus such as Kelly Gallagher and Michael Schmoker encourage teachers to assign far more writing than what they actually will end up grading.  Many teachers struggle with this mentality, but really, it makes sense.  Students need to write more, and the reality is grading the amount of writing students need would be a rather daunting task for even the most experienced and efficient teacher.


After a night of grading:



One way I manage this idea is that I will have students submit more writing, but they highlight what they consider to be the best aspects of their writing.  I will first review what they've highlighted to see if it meets our learning targets and the standards we are focused on.  If, after reviewing those sections, it seems students need more work, I will review the other portions of their writing to see if they hit the mark there--and just didn't recognize it in themselves.  Doing so will tell me two main things:

1.  Did the student reach the intended outcomes?
2.  If the student DID reach the intended outcomes--but it is represented in the non-highlighted sections--that student still needs some additional support and intervention.

NOTE: I do NOT use this method for longer pieces of writing such as essays.

Below, you will see my students working in groups.  They are discussing their writing and determining which portions of their writing are best.

 

 

 
 
   


Feel free to email me @ englishschmitt@gmail.com to discuss the methods you use to have students write more while you grade less.

Or tweet @englishschmitt