How My Students are Progressing: Kate Morris, Sixth Grade, Late Fall 2011

My students are continuing to make progress with their writing. Now I am focusing on not only the ideas (content) that they have written, but also the conventions domain of the Pennsylvania rubric. As many of us do, we read what we think we wrote. I had taken notice when students originally came to me for a mini conference that they often experienced that dilemma. Now I have each student read aloud each word that they have written in their draft. Often they will correct themselves as they hear their own words (or lack of).

Another tool that I have been using is the Being a Writer™ "conventions" workbook. Teachers cannot assume that these grammar skills, which were very well introduced in previous school years, have been mastered. I find that completing a page for a Do Now prior to the introduction of the lesson is invaluable. While they are writing or editing, I will remind them to keep the mini-grammar lesson in mind as they continue the writing process.

In addition, the use of a Self-Buddy-Teacher Checklist with specific questions and goals for the individual student and his conference peer have been very helpful. Students need a foundation in which to confer with their peers. If the foundation is not there as a guide, many students will simply reply to their writing partner that the shared writing is "good". By using this checklist, not only do the students themselves have an initial starting point to self-correct or modify, but the conferring peer also has a basis to share their constructive criticism and encouragement. After both the student and peer have gone through this process, the individual student will then have a mini conference with me to review their work. Although I have not yet completed this process due to the fact that students are still on step one and step two of the Self-Buddy-Teacher Checklist, I have observed the process and I am generally impressed with the outcome.

As always, students are committed when they feel a sense of ownership and security that they have the ability to contribute in the writing process.