A summary of good instruction and assessment comes from a quote in Chapter 6 from B&B:
“ ‘…students become enthusiastic about learning when they feel the subject is relevant to their lives, when they can do real and challenging work, when they have control over what they do, when they feel connected to their schools, and when they do not feel compelled to compete against classmates for A’s and high scores’” (100).
This passage sums up the ideal environment of a high school classroom. This may not be a reality in most classrooms across the country but I hope it is the goal in all of them. To make information relevant and valuable to students means giving them responsibility. This chapter discusses how portfolios are one example of an assessment that can achieve this. Not only is it an authentic form of assessment, but learners get the opportunity to compile a collection of their writing. This allows for reflection, revision, and creativity. It can also be a personal form of expression, eliminating feelings of competition; each student has created his or her personal best for no one but him or her. Assessments like portfolios are also conducive to creating a cohesive classroom. Before student are willing to open up and share their final product, they must understand and respect one another. I think the writer’s reflection questions in Chapter Six would be helpful in guiding students. They may help them recognize the importance of their own progress.
In Chapter Seven, I expected to read an outline of how to apply the Six-Trait Model into student writing and that was all. But this chapter also explains how to incorporate it into instruction. I think the first step (Introduce Each Trait by Reading and Discussing Age-Appropriate Literature) is so important. This goes back to establishing relevance in the curriculum—students can see that these are elements that real authors use and they are just standards by which they are being graded. This gives the mini-lessons and assessments some credibility; we’re not doing this for nothing.
2 comments:
Of course, Katie, you would be the one to point out that this is "an authentic form of assessment," haha. Anyways, I really like the points that you bring up, especially pulling that quote. I hope, too, that this ideal environment for high school classrooms is what everyone strives for. I really do like this textbook, because it goes in-depth and how-to for everything, including the Six-Trait Model. B&B didn't just tells us about it, they taught us how to teach it.
Well said K-Vo. That's Katie LeVota's nickname in case you all didn't already know that.
Anyways, I really agreed with the end of your post, the part where you discuss the importance of allowing students to see the relevance of their curriculum. By showing students that these are the same guidelines that established authors use, it helps eliminate the doubt that students might have about why these guidelines are being applied to them. Rather than having them look at a rubric as a grading scale, I want my students to see a rubric as a tool to help them create published pieces that they undoubtedly know are legitimate pieces of work.
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