Chapter 6 "Talking, Drawing, Writing"

Hello Friends!

This week's chapter is on Assessment. I have struggled with how to assess my student's writing for many years. I have used the one star, two stars, three stars chart that has been prevalent on Pinterest and many teaching blogs. I like this as a visual cue to children to add details, use proper punctuation, and to make sure that their writing makes sense. The feeling I get from the authors of "Talking, Drawing, and Writing, though, is that they are not keen on a rubric type of assessment. A quote from the book:  Historically, in our profession, we haven't been expected to look at children's writing and name what we see, because for a long time, there wasn't any children's writing to look at. When there was, we would focus on the mechanics. Or more recently, we'd have a list of descriptors in front of us and try to fit the children's writing in to the rubric. "

Instead the authors suggest keeping a Cumulative Writing Record. Here is what is listed in the columns:
1.  Child's name
2.  What I notice before writing
3.  What writers are doing (Craft, conventions)
4.  Information Writers Need to Learn
5.  When to Teach

They give 3 settings in which to use this type of record
1. Individual Writing Record - Record and assess improvements and strategies to help an individual child become a better writer
2. Small group writing record - Record and assess improvements and strategies to help children became a better recording within a  GROUP of children upon the assessment sheet.
3. Whole group writing record - Quick assessment of what the whole group is doing.

 I love the charts that are included for all 3 ways to assess. In fact, I think they would be helpful to have during the writing conferences with my students. I like the fact that they are titled "Cumulative" because if you start this type of assessment early in the year, you would have wonderful log of the accomplishments of each student.

Next week's chapter is "Introducing Booklets".

Just a quick note before I sign off..... This is the 3rd day after my surgery and I feel pretty good! The pain the day of surgery and yesterday morning was intense. But I have kept up with the pain meds, so I am really not feeling a lot of pain today. Tomorrow I go to the doctor's office to have the dressing change and get fitted for a boot. When that happens, I should be able to get around quicker. I have a great respect for people who are in wheelchairs. So many obstacles to get from Point A to Point B and the time it takes to get there is twice as long.
Here is a picture of my foot presently..... the picture makes my calf look HUGE! Oh well.... !

That's it for now!

Until next time,

Blessings, Cind