Students utilize peer response groups (and actually learn how to constructively respond to support one another’s writing) to work through pieces. Additionally, we’d like to focus some of our time on alternatives to grading student writing — ways to increase student output while managing the subsequent paper load. This group won’t be based directly on any one touchstone text — mostly research articles, mixed in with good chapters from appropriate texts here and there and collegial discussions on what’s working for others and what’s not/how to improve.
D. Dymond, T. Wood, C. Stone
We’ve made writing groups and peer review more effective, more focused and more central to the writing process used by our students in the classroom. An additional plus of being in this group is that we (Claudia, Teresa, and Davia) used the various techniques and prompts we’ve read about and discussed to transition our students, seniors especially, toward more independence in seeking input on their own and autonomy as they prepare to go on to college or the work place.
Developing protocols, language and procedures for getting feedback from peers and/or writing groups. Providing students with a more critical eye and ear for their own writing as well as for others’ writing.
Posted by Melissa Gergen 