Writing Assessment reflective post

  Overall my students did well on this writing exercise and gave me plenty of ideas regarding how to expand on this topic and build up their writing skills. Although my rubric specifies the importance of exact structure of the poem, their poems most definitely showed writer voice and a developing usage of descriptive adjectives, these two things are supported in Andersen’s text as traits of good writing (Andersen 56). To build on what this assessment has shown me I believe the students would benefit mostly from drafting work, word choice enhancement, and layouts of writing pieces. All three of these teaching ideas can be applied in small groups, large groups, or individually.

  Drafting, as several of our course texts have specified is an essential component of writing. As Miller’s text says, reading and by association writing is all about making meaning so how is the student supposed to make meaning after one writing exercise with Cinquain poems? Through a drafting process I would propose that students create a rough draft then with small groups or partners we could peer edit. The ability to think together is not only useful in classroom settings within writing, but also in the context of the real world (Johnston 103). Responding and reflecting on a peers writing is also identified as two of the five points of teaching true and to the test in writing (Wolf 232). Observing the students share ideas and writing with each other I could informally assess any growth that would take place.

  This collaboration would be encouraged in my next suggestion to direct future instruction and assessment. Enhancing the vocabulary of the students in exercises involving thesauruses and using descriptive words would help improve their writing. Andersen specifies the importance of rehearsing writing and that good writers return to topics they can connect to and have purpose for writing about (111). To apply this in the classroom setting letting students choose their topics is absolutely crucial. Through choice of their own topic they will have an interest and maybe some background knowledge to work with while they delve deeper into the topic. Topic choice for writing was something that was discussed thoroughly in other courses I have taken, so between that and the professional text that supports it I believe it is pretty important for developing writers.

  Finally, to address layouts of writing pieces introducing different kinds of writing layouts will help familiarize the class with all the different styles. A specific example, the students could write a formal letter to a celebrity or member of the government. This activity would simultaneously address adhering to layouts for certain writing pieces and writing to a real audience, which is a component of being an initiator of writing (Andersen 29). Layout of writing and genre can go hand in hand to improve the students understanding of layouts of writing. An activity could be to write the same story from different perspectives or genres (Andersen 154). Through these activities the students will gain a new understanding of layouts and will maybe even be inspired to revise previous writing pieces with different layouts.

  My group of students is on the right track for writing development and will continue to grow and learn if the goal of lifelong writing is reinforced. Through working with drafting and peer editing, word choice exercises, and lessons about layouts and genres of writing I believe these students will gain a better understanding of writing and themselves as writers.

-Andersen

-Miller

-Johnston

-Wolf