Mr. Williams and I agree

Despite the fact that we are back to Williams, I actually enjoyed this chapter. I definitely feel that English teachers have a lot of work cut out for them when it comes to grading papers. In my observing my teacher was having me grade paragraphs on point-of-view. I was giving everyone really bad grades. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was because I was in a bad mood, or if the papers really were bad. My teacher said I was being fair, and that she would have graded them the same way. However, I really did feel like it was kind of subjective. This is where my friend Williams has been slightly helpful.

As much as I don’t want to read papers twice, I did like the logic behind it. Putting papers onto three piles based on strength is a smart idea. At least, then I know why each paper is in a particular pile. I’m not just going along writing grades on papers, so I can get them graded. Plus, sometimes it is really difficult to decide on a letter grade. If it is an 89, then I might feel obligated to give the student an A. I do always enjoy specific comments as a student, so I want to be sure that I give clear comments that provide some kind of constructive criticism. Also, I see the point in not correcting mechanical problems, because most students won’t learn from them. They are simply done with the paper. I do like the idea of finding common problems in papers, discussing them with the class, and then grading them on the next paper. I’m sad though. I always hated red ink as a student, but as a teacher I find red pens so empowering. However, I suppose I can write in pencil, since Williams thinks it is friendlier.

I do think holistic grading can be effective for most students. Yet, I don’t think it will be very beneficial for the students who are strong writers in the classroom. They will be assessing other papers, but they might not get helpful feedback to improve their own writing. Rubrics I think are an excellent way to grade papers. I always enjoyed rubrics, because then I knew exactly what I was being graded on. Having the students’ grade papers using a rubric is a neat idea, and I like that two students grade one paper. Also, the idea of a split score is nice. This way a paper can be evaluated one last time and be given the most appropriate score. Plus, I think the idea of a code number is necessary, so students don’t grade unfairly, and sample papers are a must!

I can see how holistic grading is beneficial, but I have personally found portfolio writing beneficial, too. I think the writer feels really good when they are able to examine his/her own growth. Writing really is a process, and it takes a lot of good and bad writing to improve that process. As a teacher, I would somehow like to incorporate a lot of different grading approaches for my students’ writings.