What is focused feedback?
The BCPS Writing Portfolio is to be evaluated holistically with respect to the selection and
preparation of its artifacts (guided by a teacher-created skills chart21) and the students’ reflection.
Feedback should accomplish the following: (1) identify student competencies, and (2) identify
one area for growth
Questions to guide a face-to-face portfolio review conference might include:
 How are you feeling today?
 Are you satisfied with your writing portfolio?
 Which piece best reflects where you started as a writer?
 Which piece reflects the most work?
 Which piece are you proudest of?
 Is there any piece that you would revise?
Alternative Ideas for providing focused feedback:
1. Use post-it notes (or flags) to celebrate student growth.
2. Use highlighters or markers in varying colors aligned with the skills identified in the
skills chart1 to identify places in the students’ artifacts or reflections where each skill is in
evidence.
3. Using a headset and the Audacity software, record oral comments and export them as an
*.mp3 file. Be sure to indicate the artifact to which your comments relate so that the
student, listening to the *.mp3 file can follow along. Listen to the *.mp3 before exporting
to be sure that the feedback is appropriate. This is an easy way to provide feedback if the
student’s portfolio is created in PBworks as the feedback can be uploaded and linked to
the PBworks portfolio.
4. Arrange to have the student’s future teacher (whoever is scheduled to have the student in
the next English class) provide feedback on the portfolio as a way of getting to know the
student and of welcoming them to his/her class. The current teacher may still wish to be
the one to provide the class grade on the rubric2, but the comments could be made by the
future teacher.
1
2
See Resource Sheet:”Sample skills chart”
See Resource Sheet: “Sample holistic BCPS Writing Portfolio evaluation rubrics”