Melissa 0:00
Hey, friends, this is the first episode in the writing feedback series that we are doing this summer. Today we are going to talk about three ways to save grading time when you get laser focused. So we are exploring how getting laser focused can save you time. These three strategies will help you to stop grading at all and determine what matters when providing feedback for your students.
Melissa 0:25
One strategy is using single point rubrics or focusing on a very specific skill or standard single point rubrics save time, give focused feedback and reduce overwhelm for the teacher and student. So a single point rubric is where you take one point from the rubric. I know that my district has a writing rubric that has development of ideas organization. I might just if I want to grade their development of ideas in the four column, there might be three bullet points in the development of ideas. I can take all three of those, or I can take one of those, or I can take two of those. I usually take one or two of those bullet points and put it on a rubric, and then I give the students what they did well and what they can work on as it goes with that one single point from the rubric. That way, if I am looking at development of ideas, I might just be looking at how they start each body paragraph, how are they developing what is their claim or their thesis, and then did they support it? It allows me to look very specifically at some key things and not have to take in the whole essay.
Melissa 1:40
Single point rubrics should be introduced at the beginning of the writing assignment, as any rubric should be, so that students have clear expectations. The rubrics could be used during and after the writing process to provide feedback and give students opportunities to revise as they write and then again as the final feedback. This will be another strategy, but giving feedback during the writing process. I mean, come on, friends, that's going to save so much time. The final feedback on the single point rubric will also help inform future instruction. So the hope is that the students have improved and made changes throughout the process, but whatever they haven't quite picked up on or done might be what you want to focus on the next time, the rubric should be beneficial for the student as well. They should track what they are doing well and what they need to work on in the writing. So giving the students a way to hold on to that feedback and keep it somewhere where they can look back at it is going to be essential also when creating your single point rubric, consider why students are completing the writing assignment. Why are they doing this? What are you hoping they get out of it? What standard are you working on, and that can be your laser focus when giving feedback, who questions are? What is the purpose of the writing assignment, and what does the data suggest? What do the students need based on previous writing assessments or assignments? When that is clear in your mind, determining which standard or skill to focus on we're providing feedback will be a quick and easy decision, and you'll be laser focused. And remember, don't over think it. If we're being honest, most of our students need practice with all parts of writing. Just start simple, start where they can be successful, and go from there. Give them some of those quick wins on that single point rubric. Make it easy for you. Make it easy for them.
Melissa 3:38
A second strategy is small chunks. So there are two main options when students write in small chunks. One is students can write an entire paragraph at a time, or elements of the paragraph at a time. I'm just doing a paragraph assignment, we might all right, the topic sentence together, and then I'm checking topic sentences. And while I'm checking topic sentences, the other students might be moving in to their two or three pieces of evidence or reasons, but I'm checking topic sentences on that first day and giving feedback, and then the next day I'm checking reasons and giving feedback, and the next day, I'm checking evidence and giving feedback, just doing it in small chunks and giving them feedback on each small chunk. If you're writing an essay, we might write a whole paragraph at a time where I'll have them write your first body paragraph, and then I'm checking for kind of some essential elements of it and giving feedback on that. If students are just writing paragraphs, it's beneficial to do the pieces. If you're writing essays, it's beneficial to do the paragraphs. I hope that makes sense.
Melissa 4:52
Students are learning each element one at a time and making changes in real time based on feedback. This is saving so much. I am you're giving the feedback. Is every kid acting on it? No, but 90% of them will go back and make any changes because they're just doing that one simple thing, especially with my sixth and seventh graders, just working on topic sentences, it feels less overwhelming to them, and they're more likely to make changes on that one thing because they aren't feeling rushed to get the whole paragraph done. I don't know about you, but I have so many students who see that we're writing the whole paragraph, and they just want to check the box. They want it done. They don't want to make changes. They don't want to think about it. They want to be done, and then they want to be left alone. So if I give them one little thing to do. Yes, they're still checking boxes, but those boxes mean you're doing it till it's quality, not quantity, and I think that's really important with some of their mindsets. However you're chunking it, chunk it in a way that makes sense for you and your students. And again, those two questions, what is the purpose of the writing assignment, and what does the data suggest? Why are we having them do it? And what do they need? When you have those clear in your mind, chunking and grading are going to be a breeze.
Melissa 6:12
Number three, writing conferences, guys, they don't have to be as hard as you think. Seriously. Writing conferences between the teacher and student. It's an easy solution to streamline grading. This strategy pairs well with having students write in small chunks so after each writing, the teacher can spend time conferring with writers as the other students spend time writing the next small chunk. Writing conferences do not just need to be between the teacher and one student pull small groups who need some of the same instruction and feedback, which will save time and allow students to collaborate and revise together. It also allows students to practice talking with their peers about writing, and it exposes them to questions that writers ask. This can also be done as a whole class checking in with students throughout the process allows for real time feedback, so stopping the class and doing an impromptu mini lesson saves time and improves instruction. I cannot tell you the amount of times I have been circulating the room and I see 345, kids in a row making the same mistake, and then I do a quick mini lesson, and I say, Listen, I've seen you do this. Here's what we need to do instead, and we can get back on course. That's a writing conference. It's that simple stopping the class and making sure that we're all on the same page when it comes to what we're working on. And if you stop and have them actually take the time and then go back and check and see that kids are making those changes the writing you get at the end. A is going to be better. B, though you're gonna know what they're giving you, because you have had your hand on each kid's writing at least once, if not two to three times, before they actually turn it in so you know what you're getting, and then you can be laser focused and pick a single point rubric to do it. Writing is done in half the time. Using that class time to provide feedback, and having students make revisions in that real time saves time at the end of the writing process.
Melissa 8:19
These three strategies were put together today because I just think they go together. So let's recap what these three strategies are to get laser focused. One, use single point rubrics or focus on a specific skill or standard. Two, writing in small chunks that allows you to give feedback on each chunk. And three writing conferences, which is you just checking in with the students to see if they're on track, and then giving instruction and feedback as it's needed to make changes. Providing feedback throughout the process and in small chunks is important because that feedback in real time allows students to make changes as they write. We're being laser focused so that feedback should be on what the focus is, what's the purpose of the writing assignment, and what do they need to get from it? That's the feedback we're giving them.
Melissa 9:13
It might be hard, but if we are not focused on grammar, yes, can we point out to our students that there are some simple spelling errors absolutely but if we are focused on one thing, stay focused on that. One thing, all conferences, all mini lessons, should be to improve that one thing we are focusing on quality over quantity. If we want our students to really get good at something, we have to give ourselves that time to slow down. I know that's a dirty word in the ELA classroom. We have so much to cover, but I think that if we give them that time, we can go slow to go fast later on down the road.
Melissa 9:54
So getting laser focused not only saves time with grading, but it also helps our. Students master the process of writing. When we focus on quality over quantity, our students improve. We know this to be true. I know we all do, friends, I hope that you're going to enjoy this series. I would love for you to write a review on Apple podcasts. This helps other people decide if it's a podcast they want to listen to and I just so appreciate you being here and remember Friends as always, until next time the magic is in the process.
Hey, friends, this is the first episode in the writing feedback series that we are doing this summer. Today we are going to talk about three ways to save grading time when you get laser focused. So we are exploring how getting laser focused can save you time. These three strategies will help you to stop grading at all and determine what matters when providing feedback for your students.
Melissa 0:25
One strategy is using single point rubrics or focusing on a very specific skill or standard single point rubrics save time, give focused feedback and reduce overwhelm for the teacher and student. So a single point rubric is where you take one point from the rubric. I know that my district has a writing rubric that has development of ideas organization. I might just if I want to grade their development of ideas in the four column, there might be three bullet points in the development of ideas. I can take all three of those, or I can take one of those, or I can take two of those. I usually take one or two of those bullet points and put it on a rubric, and then I give the students what they did well and what they can work on as it goes with that one single point from the rubric. That way, if I am looking at development of ideas, I might just be looking at how they start each body paragraph, how are they developing what is their claim or their thesis, and then did they support it? It allows me to look very specifically at some key things and not have to take in the whole essay.
Melissa 1:40
Single point rubrics should be introduced at the beginning of the writing assignment, as any rubric should be, so that students have clear expectations. The rubrics could be used during and after the writing process to provide feedback and give students opportunities to revise as they write and then again as the final feedback. This will be another strategy, but giving feedback during the writing process. I mean, come on, friends, that's going to save so much time. The final feedback on the single point rubric will also help inform future instruction. So the hope is that the students have improved and made changes throughout the process, but whatever they haven't quite picked up on or done might be what you want to focus on the next time, the rubric should be beneficial for the student as well. They should track what they are doing well and what they need to work on in the writing. So giving the students a way to hold on to that feedback and keep it somewhere where they can look back at it is going to be essential also when creating your single point rubric, consider why students are completing the writing assignment. Why are they doing this? What are you hoping they get out of it? What standard are you working on, and that can be your laser focus when giving feedback, who questions are? What is the purpose of the writing assignment, and what does the data suggest? What do the students need based on previous writing assessments or assignments? When that is clear in your mind, determining which standard or skill to focus on we're providing feedback will be a quick and easy decision, and you'll be laser focused. And remember, don't over think it. If we're being honest, most of our students need practice with all parts of writing. Just start simple, start where they can be successful, and go from there. Give them some of those quick wins on that single point rubric. Make it easy for you. Make it easy for them.
Melissa 3:38
A second strategy is small chunks. So there are two main options when students write in small chunks. One is students can write an entire paragraph at a time, or elements of the paragraph at a time. I'm just doing a paragraph assignment, we might all right, the topic sentence together, and then I'm checking topic sentences. And while I'm checking topic sentences, the other students might be moving in to their two or three pieces of evidence or reasons, but I'm checking topic sentences on that first day and giving feedback, and then the next day I'm checking reasons and giving feedback, and the next day, I'm checking evidence and giving feedback, just doing it in small chunks and giving them feedback on each small chunk. If you're writing an essay, we might write a whole paragraph at a time where I'll have them write your first body paragraph, and then I'm checking for kind of some essential elements of it and giving feedback on that. If students are just writing paragraphs, it's beneficial to do the pieces. If you're writing essays, it's beneficial to do the paragraphs. I hope that makes sense.
Melissa 4:52
Students are learning each element one at a time and making changes in real time based on feedback. This is saving so much. I am you're giving the feedback. Is every kid acting on it? No, but 90% of them will go back and make any changes because they're just doing that one simple thing, especially with my sixth and seventh graders, just working on topic sentences, it feels less overwhelming to them, and they're more likely to make changes on that one thing because they aren't feeling rushed to get the whole paragraph done. I don't know about you, but I have so many students who see that we're writing the whole paragraph, and they just want to check the box. They want it done. They don't want to make changes. They don't want to think about it. They want to be done, and then they want to be left alone. So if I give them one little thing to do. Yes, they're still checking boxes, but those boxes mean you're doing it till it's quality, not quantity, and I think that's really important with some of their mindsets. However you're chunking it, chunk it in a way that makes sense for you and your students. And again, those two questions, what is the purpose of the writing assignment, and what does the data suggest? Why are we having them do it? And what do they need? When you have those clear in your mind, chunking and grading are going to be a breeze.
Melissa 6:12
Number three, writing conferences, guys, they don't have to be as hard as you think. Seriously. Writing conferences between the teacher and student. It's an easy solution to streamline grading. This strategy pairs well with having students write in small chunks so after each writing, the teacher can spend time conferring with writers as the other students spend time writing the next small chunk. Writing conferences do not just need to be between the teacher and one student pull small groups who need some of the same instruction and feedback, which will save time and allow students to collaborate and revise together. It also allows students to practice talking with their peers about writing, and it exposes them to questions that writers ask. This can also be done as a whole class checking in with students throughout the process allows for real time feedback, so stopping the class and doing an impromptu mini lesson saves time and improves instruction. I cannot tell you the amount of times I have been circulating the room and I see 345, kids in a row making the same mistake, and then I do a quick mini lesson, and I say, Listen, I've seen you do this. Here's what we need to do instead, and we can get back on course. That's a writing conference. It's that simple stopping the class and making sure that we're all on the same page when it comes to what we're working on. And if you stop and have them actually take the time and then go back and check and see that kids are making those changes the writing you get at the end. A is going to be better. B, though you're gonna know what they're giving you, because you have had your hand on each kid's writing at least once, if not two to three times, before they actually turn it in so you know what you're getting, and then you can be laser focused and pick a single point rubric to do it. Writing is done in half the time. Using that class time to provide feedback, and having students make revisions in that real time saves time at the end of the writing process.
Melissa 8:19
These three strategies were put together today because I just think they go together. So let's recap what these three strategies are to get laser focused. One, use single point rubrics or focus on a specific skill or standard. Two, writing in small chunks that allows you to give feedback on each chunk. And three writing conferences, which is you just checking in with the students to see if they're on track, and then giving instruction and feedback as it's needed to make changes. Providing feedback throughout the process and in small chunks is important because that feedback in real time allows students to make changes as they write. We're being laser focused so that feedback should be on what the focus is, what's the purpose of the writing assignment, and what do they need to get from it? That's the feedback we're giving them.
Melissa 9:13
It might be hard, but if we are not focused on grammar, yes, can we point out to our students that there are some simple spelling errors absolutely but if we are focused on one thing, stay focused on that. One thing, all conferences, all mini lessons, should be to improve that one thing we are focusing on quality over quantity. If we want our students to really get good at something, we have to give ourselves that time to slow down. I know that's a dirty word in the ELA classroom. We have so much to cover, but I think that if we give them that time, we can go slow to go fast later on down the road.
Melissa 9:54
So getting laser focused not only saves time with grading, but it also helps our. Students master the process of writing. When we focus on quality over quantity, our students improve. We know this to be true. I know we all do, friends, I hope that you're going to enjoy this series. I would love for you to write a review on Apple podcasts. This helps other people decide if it's a podcast they want to listen to and I just so appreciate you being here and remember Friends as always, until next time the magic is in the process.
