Teaching+of+Writing+Writing+Assessment+Design

//**Context:** One of the major assignments for this class was to design or redesign a unit plan where a writing assignment was the main assessment tool. I chose to retool a unit that I created for Reading/Writing Connection that I implemented in the fall semester of 2011 with my high school juniors. The assignment required us to express a rationale, meet objectives that correlate with our subject/grade area, and design a lesson plan to assign to another classmate. After assigning the assignment, we were to conference, respond, and assess our classmate's composition. At the end of the assignment, we were to also write a letter of reflection explaining the experience of designing, assigning, and assessing our plan. //

Reflection
Dear Dr. Hartman,

Redesigning this assignment has been one of the most beneficial things for me so far this semester. I really enjoyed creating this unit over the summer, but when I implemented it, I was sorely disappointed with how some of it came together. But, since I’ve taken this class, I’ve figured out some new tricks and tools I could use to help make everything about the assignment beneficial and compatible with what I want my students to accomplish through a variety of writing purposes.

One thing I really enjoyed, and I’m glad that Brianna and I chose to do, was to utilize Google Documents. We were presented with an interesting and unexpected series of events right before spring break, and we were able to get our work done effectively and timely because of the ability for us to simply share our work with each other, even if it wasn’t completely finished. This is one thing that I am going to continue to use with my students because of the ease and the effectiveness of the comment tool.

This was Brianna’s first time writing a memoir, and for the first time, she did a fantastic job. For her actual assignment, I gave her the 3rd daybook sheet so she knew my expectations for the assignment and some of the parameters of the memoir. Luckily, she had read Tuesdays with Morrie before, so this worked out perfectly. During her first drafts (this is her final draft), I made it a point to talk about the things I liked about her memoir as it was and what she was doing well so she could emulate those things in other parts of her essay. I greatly enjoyed reading it, and I’ve found that when I take a vested interest in a writer’s enjoyment about the writing and the experience, it’s overall a much better experience for everyone involved.

The one thing we did have to modify about the experience was the writing group workshop elements. Because there were not enough people for us to have a writing group, we utilized one-on-one conferences, reflections, and the comment tool on Google Docs to make up for that lost interaction with others. Obviously this isn’t the ideal situation I would want – having other people read my writing is one of my favorite parts of writing groups – but I think considering the circumstances, it went really well.

I do have one question about my rationale – I was thinking about using the 2nd daybook sheet (What is a memoir?) as the rationale for the students –it outlines exactly why we’re writing this type of essay. Should I include that in the rationale section directly below or is what I have sufficient? I understand the rationale is supposed to be why I’m implementing this unit, so I feel like I need more but I’m not really sure…

I’m looking forward to getting your feedback. Thanks for all of the help so far!

Sincerely,

Lorelei

Writing Assignment Design
Narrative writing, specifically memoir, is an effective writing assignment to get students thinking and working on their writing because they are writing about something they know a great deal about – themselves. A memoir is an account of one specific event/moment in life that helps create meaning. Nancie Atwell (1998) describes memoir as “how writers look for the past and make sense of it…a memoir puts the events of a life into perspective for the writer and for those who read it. It is a way to validate to others the events of our lives” (p. 372). Because of its expressive nature, this type of writing can sometimes become a catharsis – a healing – an opportunity for students to look back at some of the defining moments in their lives and attempt to make those experiences relatable to an audience, helping hone their knowledge and application of audience awareness, purpose, and tone. Memoirs give students the opportunity to “discover and tell our own truths as writers” (Atwell, 1998, p. 372.) while still bettering the craft and art of writing.
 * Rationale **

This is the first unit that I complete with my AP Language & Composition students in the fall semester. We will have completed the following activities and parts of the assignment in class/outside of class to prepare for the writing assignment:
 * Context **


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Mini-lesson on daybooks as well as expectations for student use; how to organize a daybook, WID entries, etc.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Focused Free Write in reaction to The Who’s “Who Are You” based on the line, Tell me who you are ‘cause I really wanna know.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Body Biography (student style) – students use Tony I’s body biography assignment but I revamped it in order for students to be reflective about themselves
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Body Biography presentations – students present their body biographies to each other using the document camera and point out significant parts of their biographies
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Read sections of Tuesdays with Morrie to discover what a memoir is and the elements of effective memoir writing


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Objectives for the Writing Assignment **
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Write routinely over extended time frames and shorter time frames for a variety of tasks, purposes, and audiences (Writing Standards, p. 47)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Explore the sense of identity in a creative manner
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact (Reading Standards for Literature, p. 38)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience (Writing Standards, p. 46)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners…building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively (Speaking and Listening Standards, p. 50)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Writing as a process, including invention, arrangement, drafting, collaborating with peers/teacher, revising, editing, and reflecting (AP Writing Objective)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Developing a mature and sophisticated style of writing through the use of applying effective strategies and techniques (not limited to audience, voice, style, diction, tone, and syntax) (AP Writing Objective)

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Items with ** next to them are the redesigned sections of the writing assignment. For things in bold, there is a daybook-sized sheet to accompany that part of the writing process that is intended for the students as audience – those are attached in the appendix. There will be a daybook-sized handout that outlines the purpose, audience & writing aim for the students along with a copy of the rubric that will be used for assessment that will be given out the day we do the mini-lesson on memoirs.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Writing Assignment Information **


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Mini-lesson on memoirs – complete with a description and brainstorming exactly what makes a memoir a memoir and how they are effective by composing a list together to keep posted in the classroom while students write.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Murray Cards - Students will complete the Murray card activity to brainstorm some ideas/for their memoir – students will share with a group (3-4) of students that they are comfortable with (this group will become their writing group for the semester)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Focused Free Write – after completing murray cards, students will begin by taking the idea(s) they considered during murray cards and start free writing. Students will have 30 minutes to complete the free write – this includes multiple ideas
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Writing Groups – after completing the focused free write, students will get back into their groups from Murray card pair/share and complete preliminary writing group workshop – daybook sized sheet of expectations & workshop strategies (from Dr. Hartman’s worksheet on Elbow strategies)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Working Draft #1 w/ one-on-one conferences; on looseleaf – bring to class for workshop next class period
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Writing Group Workshop– focused response – Sharing, Center of Gravity, Summary & Sayback
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Working Draft #2 (looseleaf) w/ one-on-one conferences; turn in with reflection letter for teacher; formative assessment using rubric
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Writing Group Workshop – Focused response – Sharing, Voice, Criterion-Based Feedback (style, memoir strategies, development, organization, “showing not telling”)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Final Draft – typed with ALL working drafts/reflections & an overall reflection


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Appendices **


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Daybook Sheet #1 - Tuesdays with Morrie excerpt with Dialogue Journals **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">In preparation for writing a memoir, I will read an excerpt from Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom aloud. While I’m reading, I would like you to start the beginnings of a dialogue journal using the following columns: Quotes, Means to Me, Means to Others, and Things I’m Thinking Now in your daybooks. In order to make this successful, I will model the format & thought process behind this while we’re reading. I will stop periodically and I will tell you what I’m writing down in my daybook and why I’m doing so. I would like you to follow suit by filling in the two columns during reading. Once I am through reading a section, you will pass your daybook to their right and the next person will write in the third column (Means to Others) what you thought in the second column (Means to Me). We will continue to rotate until I call time or a daybook is finished. The original owner will receive his/her daybook back and will then fill in the fourth column based on what other readers said about the quotes. After I’ve given you time to reflect on your original thoughts, we will discuss our findings. I will be continuing to read excerpts from Tuesdays with Morrie aloud to throughout the unit at the end of each day to further our discussion, understanding, and honing of effective traits of memoir writing.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">For homework tonight: On the Ning discussion board, come up with some qualifiers based on the section of Tuesdays with Morrie we read in class for what makes Albom’s writing effective and why those qualifiers are effective. Please respond to at least two other classmates’ responses. I will be using your discussion as a springboard for our discussion tomorrow.

**<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Daybook Sheet #2 - Mini-Lesson – What is a memoir? **
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">A memoir is an account of one specific event/moment in your life that helps create meaning. Nancie Atwell (1998) describes memoir as “how writers look for the past and make sense of it…a memoir puts the events of a life into perspective for the writer and for those who read it. It is a way to validate to others the events of our lives –our choices, perspectives, decisions, responses” (p. 372). At times, this type of writing becomes a catharsis – a healing – an opportunity for us to look back as writers and reflect about what we know best – ourselves. Regardless of how short your life has been, there are many moments that help define us. Through memoir, we’re going to “discover and tell our own truths as writers” (Atwell, 1998, p. 372.). Tuesdays with Morrie is a memoir about Mitch Albom’s time with his former professor Morrie Schwartz, and in the process, Mitch discovers pieces of himself as well as challenges his views about life in general. So, since you’ve read a piece of memoir, now we’re going to write our own. (Yes, I am going to write with you.)

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">First, based on your discussions last night on Ning, make a list of some of the most effective traits of memoir writing that you gleaned from Mitch Albom’s writing yesterday in class. We’re going to discuss these and put them up in the classroom for us to remember while we write.


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Daybook Sheet #3 – Memoir Assignment **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As we’ve discussed, we are going to be writing a memoir. Since we have discussed the rhetorical triangle in some depth at this point, I am going to start discussing your writing assignments in that type of language. You will receive one of these each time you receive an essay assignment, even if it is your choice of topic.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Purpose: Create an account of a specific moment/event from life that helps create meaning for you and can create meaning for your audience. A memoir attempts to uncover some sort of “truth” about life that we have discovered through an experience – a memoir helps do that through personal thoughts, actions, speech and/or encounters with others. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Audience: This is your choice. However, I do want you to keep in mind that I am no longer your only “audience”. Your writing group, and any other person that you give this to read, is your audience. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Writing Aim: Expressive - specifically in the style of memoir. Remember expressive focuses on the writer, so it is valid and necessary at times to use first-person pronouns. Also, keep in mind some of the effective writing strategies Albom uses within his memoir. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Style: This is going to depend on the purpose & audience that you choose for this piece of writing – make sure that your style caters to both your purpose and audience. Remember all of these things are working together to create your writing.

__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Assessment __ <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">This is the rubric I will be utilizing to assess your writing – once during the drafting process as well as your “final” draft. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">(5 points) || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Proficient <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">(4.5 points) || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Developing <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">(4 points) || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Insufficient <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">(3.5 points) ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Criteria || <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Exemplary
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Writing encompasses the definition of memoir – to tell a personal truth as a writer in order to create an identity and connect with the audience ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Writing is appropriate to audience ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Narrative is honest; it clearly reflects an important moment/instance in the writer’s life ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Writer is aware of how to structure specific parts of a text in order to contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Writer utilizes effective writing strategies for memoirs wisely (imagery, figurative language, dialogue, showing not telling, etc.) ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Grammar or conventional mistakes, if any, do not take away from the reading of the text ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Writer participated in the composition process – drafting, workshop, conferences & reflections. ||  ||   ||   ||   ||

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Daybook Sheet #4 – Murray Cards (adapted from Dr. Hartman’s “General Murray Card Instructions”) <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Murray cards are based off of some central maxims of Donald Murray, a journalist, teacher, and writer. I will be modeling these for you on the document camera; however, keep in mind that these are my personal ideas and they may not reflect anything you’re thinking of – they need to be original and organic from YOU.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Blue Card: Finding topics - List things/events/ideas that you are wondering/thinking about <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Pink Card: Purpose - Pick one of the things/events/ideas from your blue card and write about why answering that question or exploring that idea matters this is an essential part of memoir <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Green Card: Initial content - Staying with the same thing/event/idea (from your Pink card) or choosing another one (from your Blue card), write down some things you know you already want to delve deeper into about that particular choice <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Purple Card: Develop content - Again, thinking of the thing/event/idea from your Green or Pink Card, write down what questions you need to answer and/or ideas you need to clarify <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Yellow Card: Compose - Tell a story about your idea/event/thing, real or fiction, go with it!

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Once you’ve completed your Murray cards, please form up into groups of 4s – people that you feel comfortable sharing these things with – and share around what some of your ideas are. Try to help each other hammer out some definite possibilities. These people in this group will become your writing group for the rest of the semester. I’ll be giving you about 10 minutes to do this, then we’re going to move on to actually getting some “words down on the page.”


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Daybook Sheet #5 – Focused Free Writing **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">What is free writing? Some of your past English teachers may have thrown this term around and used it as an opportunity for you to simply write about whatever your heart desires. In some instances, that is true. Cynthia Urbanski says free writing is “writing as such a rate of speed that the voice in my head takes over and starts to express itself through my fingers” (Urbanski, 2006, p. 54-55). Essentially, I want you to do this by honing in on one (or how ever many you choose) of the ideas you completed your Murray cards on. I am going to give you 30 minutes to do your focused free write. During this time, your pen/pencil does NOT stop moving, even if you have to squiggle in the lines between thoughts. I also do not want you to censor yourself – don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, finding the “right word”, etc. Just get your ideas down on paper. I don’t care if it’s the worst “crap” you’ve ever written. There isn’t anything that can’t go unused or stems other thoughts later on. When we’re through free writing (told you I was writing with you, didn’t I?), we’re going to get into writing groups and do some workshopping. (I am going to need some volunteers to help me model workshop expectations and etiquette, so be forewarned…)


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Daybook Sheet #6 – Writing Workshop Expectations & Initial Workshop Responses (adapted from Dr. Hartman’s “Responding to Writing: Using Peter Elbow’s Kind of Responses) **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Expectations <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">**Maintain positive/inviting body language <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a listener… <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a reader….
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">1. Be a fantastic listener – pay attention to not only what is being said, but what might not be being said
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">2. Participate in each response type for that day with respect, cordiality and honesty
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">3. Be thorough in your response to the writer
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">4. Give feedback to the writer when its requested
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">1. Be a fantastic reader – read slowly and accurately. But most importantly, DON’T APOLOGIZE OR EXPLAIN your writing. Let it speak for itself.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">2. Encourage each of your group members to respond to types for that day
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">3. Ask questions of your group if you do not understand
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">4. Ask for more feedback if you’re not getting the help you need

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Today’s Response Type

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Sharing: We will always start with this, no matter what part of the writing process we are in.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a writer, read your writing slowly and accurately.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a listener, receive the reading without any sort of response except for a polite and respectful, “thank you.” See this sharing as a gift. When the writer has finished reading, listeners may ONLY discuss the TOPIC of what was written. No other feedback should be given at this point.


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Daybook Sheet #7 – Writing Conference Guidelines for Students **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">You are going to be starting on your first draft of your memoir today. This is a perfect opportunity for me to come around and talk to you about any issues/questions/comments you have while you’re writing. With that said, there are some expectations I have about one-on-one conferences with you that I would like you to not only be aware of, but remember each time we do this (at least once during each essay) so that this may go smoothly.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Conference Guidelines for Students (adapted from Atwell, 1998, p. 224-6)

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">1. I will be coming to you, and I will get to most, if not all, of you every time we have writing workshop time in class. I will approach you and probably ask you how it’s coming or what you need help with to start the conversation. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">2. When I get to you, tell me about your writing – what it’s about, what’s happening with it. I may ask you to read parts of your work – I will not be focusing on conventions, but content. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">3. Our conferences will be like conversations – just you and me, so please whisper. This way we aren’t a distraction to the other people around us working and concentrating. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">4. I’m going to get involved in your writing and I will react in a supportive matter. I will attempt to help you as much as I possibly can using the knowledge I have as a reader and a writer. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">5. I may ask you to explain certain things to me, like if I don’t understand something or I want you tell me more about another thing. Be prepared to talk to me about these things if I ask you. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">6. Come prepared to workshop. If I expect you to have a part of a piece done, it’s expected. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">7. I will be taking notes during our conversations so that I can better help you and so I can keep record of what you’re working on during our workshop time. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">8. I will not tell you how to “fix” your essay or re-write portions for you. Instead, I will “ask permission to draft on the draft” (Atwell, 1998, p. 226) and lead you toward a solution to your problem/issue. I will simply show you one way how to do something. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">9. Be patient. Trust yourself and your instincts. We are all writers in this room, and we’re all going to learn from each other. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">10. If I am working with another writer and you want some advice or help from another writer, you may do so, but you must not interrupt their work and cause them to loose concentration on their writing. If you are going to conference with a peer, you may go to the front of the room in front of the classroom and follow rule #3 to a T!


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Daybook Handout #8 – Writing Workshop Day 2 (adapted from Dr. Hartman’s “Responding to Writing: Using Peter Elbow’s Kind of Responses) **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Today’s Writing Workshop Responses

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Sharing: We will always start with this, no matter what part of the writing process we are in.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a writer, read your writing slowly and accurately.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a listener, receive the reading without any sort of response except for a polite and respectful, “thank you.” See this sharing as a gift. When the writer has finished reading, listeners may ONLY discuss the TOPIC of what was written. No other feedback should be given at this point.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Center of Gravity: This is always a great place to start, not only because it’s gratifying as a writer, but it also helps train a listener’s ear and eye for things that really “stick out.” <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> As a listener, locate phrases/sentences that seem the most important – the ones that create a “source o of energy” in the writing. This helps the writer know what the strongest parts of the writing are and where they exist. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> As a writer, use these insights to help you gain confidence and insight into what IS working in your writing. Use this as an opportunity to shed some light on where you’d like to see some more of these “centers of gravity” happening in your writing.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Summary & Sayback: This response type allows the writer to make sure the message he/she wants to be sent is being heard by the audience.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a listener, provide a one-sentence summary of what YOU believe the writing is saying. Then, attempt to use your summary as a question (sayback) that allows the writer to respond to you.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a writer, respond honestly to the sayback of each of your writing group members. This will ensure that your message is being conveyed accurately in your writing.


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Daybook Handout #9 – Reflective Letter for Working Draft #2 **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">For this draft, I would like you to write a reflective letter. Sometimes being less formal helps us as writers work through some of the things that we’re having trouble with. In regards to what you include in this letter, I don’t want to tell you exactly what to include; instead, below are some recommendations/starting points to go from. Do not feel limited to this list. However, I do not want this to turn into a gripe session about how much you don’t like writing or this class. The minute I come across that, I skip it.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Things to consider for your reflective letter to me:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Discuss your writing process – include successes and struggles
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Talk about the work you did in your writing groups – what was it like? How did you benefit from it? What did you take away from your group?
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Discuss the one-on-one conferences we had – how did that help you with your memoir, if at all?
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">What are some things that are going on in your writing that you particularly like? Don’t like? Know you’re doing well with? Know you need some help on?
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Anything you want me to specifically look at that


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Daybook Handout #10 – Writing Workshop Day #3 (adapted from Dr. Hartman’s “Responding to Writing: Using Peter Elbow’s Kind of Responses) **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Today’s Writing Workshop Responses

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Sharing: Remember that hearing your writing is just as important as writing it.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a writer, read your writing slowly and accurately.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a listener, receive the reading without any sort of response except for a polite and respectful, “thank you.” See this sharing as a gift. When the writer has finished reading, listeners may ONLY discuss the TOPIC of what was written. No other feedback should be given at this point.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Voice: Voice helps us connect with our audience, so it’s important for us to understand as writers and readers what kind of voice is being used in our writing.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a writer, make sure that the voice you want to convey is being conveyed. This is a great opportunity to get effective feedback from your group by asking if they hear what you want them to.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a listener, you should be able to tell the writer if the writing sounds like that person, if the language is alive & human or if it is dead & one-noted. You should also be able to describe what type of voice(s) you hear in the writing, like confident, shouting, pleading, upsetting. You can also ask yourself the following questions to help you determine voice: What kind of person does the writing sound like? What side of the writer does the writing bring out?

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Criterion-based Feedback (style, memoir strategies, development, organization, “showing not telling”): This is where we get into the more “picky” things about writing – things that will help you develop the art of writing and not just the craft.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a writer, you need to be sure that your group is only focusing on the feedback that I’ve given you AND anything else that you need specifically, like organization, content, coherence, clarity, mechanics, etc. If you need more than the list I give you, do not be afraid to ask.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As a listener/reader, you should provide honest feedback based on the criteria that the writer needs from you as well as what I am requiring. Remember to stay focused on only what the writer wants/needs in this section. Remember to be specific – point to particular passages/words/phrases that make you think and react the way that you did.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">References

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Atwell, N. (1998). In the Middle: New Understandings About Writing, Reading, and Learning. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">(2nd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Hartma, Shana. "General Murray Card Instructions." Teaching of Writing. Boiling Springs. 23 Jan. 2012.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Hartman, Shana. “Responding to Writing: Using Peter Elbow’s Kind of Responses.” Teaching of Writing. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Boiling Springs. 23 Jan 2012.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Reading Standards for Literature. (2010). In Common Core State Standards for English <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_ELA%20Standards.pdf.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Speaking and Listening Standards. (2010). In Common Core State Standards for English <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects. Retrieved from [].

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Urbanski, C. (2006). Using the workshop approach in the high school English classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.