Fostering Student
Agency Through
Self-Assessment, Peer Feedback, and Reflection
Ann Mahoney, Bree Gannon, & Mary Ebejer
LMWP ISI
2015
1. “What do I have to do to get an A?”
1. “I never know what the teacher wants.”
3.
“Does this really matter in real life?”
4.
“First draft = final draft”
5.
“I just want to know my score.”
6.
“The only feedback that matters is the teacher’s.”
What the heck is agency?
Duranti (2004: 453) provides a working definition of agency that includes three basic
properties:
1) control over one’s own behaviour;
2) producing actions that affect other entities as well as self;
3) producing actions that are the object of evaluation.
Take a few moments to jot down why agency
is important in your classroom.
What does it look like?
Why do you value it?
Rich, Adrienne. “Claiming an Education.” 1977.
In her commencement speech at Douglass College, Rich speaks to women, but her message
is more global...
“The first thing I want to say to you who are students, is that you cannot afford
to think of being here to receive an education: you will do much better to think
of being here to claim one.”
“Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking,
and naming for you; it means learning to respect and use your own brains and
instincts; hence, grappling with hard work.”
Structure
Three segments:
1. Presentation of problem
2. Activity
3. Discussion of research
4. Group response
Increase student agency through 1.
using specific tools to achieve good writing and to self-assess [Ann].
1. using effective peer-to-peer review strategies to gain useful feedback [Bree].
1. using reflection to assess learning and the next step as writers/thinkers [Mary].
Needed Paper for writing, a piece of your personal writing
Fostering Student
Agency Through
Self-Assessment
Ann Mahoney
Grandville High School
LMWP ISI
2015
The Problem
As a high school teacher, I have many students. Last year, 156 sophomores and juniors
resided on my roster.
Even as I begin the year with good intentions - writing and conferring with students, and
guiding my students through the writing process - this is where I feel magic really
happens.
But by November, I am already just trying to keep up with grading essays.
To make it worse, it often seems like students are just working for this class, for me, for
the grade. They don’t seem to be invested in the process or the product.
my s
So I started to think, there has to be a better way!
And the way has to be practical. I am bound to preparing my kids for standardized testing, to
administering common assessments in my course levels, and the administrator and parental
expectations of what it means to prepare students for college.
And I also know this…
If I am going to teach another twenty years, my students are not only going to have to invest
in their learning, but it has to be evident in their writing.
So, over the past few years I have started to intentionally and actively seeking pedagogical
practices that move my students in the direction of being agents of their own learning.
I started to think about these questions:
1. How do I provide students with tools to improve as writers and also help build their
confidence so they feel comfortable evaluating their own work?
1. How can I get students to see that self-assessment is an ongoing process and that it needs to
be done frequently?
1. How do I get students to value self-assessment before they meet with their peers and before
they submit the piece?
How do I get my students to take control of their own learning?
I am certain that will be valuable in higher education and the workplace.
How do I get them to be autonomous learners AND heed my advice as a writing coach?
The following activity is ONE solution I have
found to be effective in my classroom.
There are many.
Let’s talk if you have interest in
swapping lessons that foster agency, build students’ toolboxes,
or encourage ongoing self-assessment.
Content/Ideas
A – Superior (4)
Addresses the topic fully
and explores the relevant
issues thoughtfully
Depth/Detail
Shows substantial depth,
fullness, and complexity
of thought
Organization
Demonstrates clear,
focused, unified and
coherent organization
Voice
Expresses passion for
subject and writer’s
voice is distinctive
Clearly addresses the topic
and explores the issues
Shows some depth and
complexity of thought
Is well developed, with
supporting detail
C – Competent (2)
Adequately addresses the
topic and explores the
issues
Shows clarity of thought
but may lack complexity
Is effectively organized
with inviting
introduction and
satisfying closure
Expresses interest in
subject and writer’s
voice is emerging
Organization is
appropriate, but
formulaic
Writer is clearly
interested in subject
though language is
unnatural and voice
might seem stiff
Language is functional and
appropriate
No clear writer’s voice
Monotonous word choice,
often repetitious,
sometimes inappropriate
for audience
Is adequately developed,
with some detail
D –Developing (1)
May distort or neglect
parts of the topic
May be simplistic or
stereotyped in thought
May have
generalizations without
supporting detail or
detail without
generalizations; may be
undeveloped
High degree of
craftsmanship
Mechanics
May have very few minor
mechanical errors, which
do not distract the reader
Effective variation in
sentence patterns and
diction
Is fully developed and
detailed
B – Strong (3)
Word Choice Fluency
Lack of structure;
disorganized and hard
to follow
Broad range of words that
energize writing
Has a few mechanical
errors
Good variety in length and
structure
Has some mechanical
errors, which at times
distract the reader
Lack variety in length and
structure
Sentence structures often
choppy
Consistent mechanical
errors that are distracting
Content/Ideas
A – Superior (4)
B – Strong (3)
Addresses the topic fully
and explores the relevant
issues thoughtfully
Clearly addresses the topic
and explores the issues
Depth/Detail
Shows substantial depth,
fullness, and complexity
of thought
Adequately addresses the
topic and explores the
issues
Demonstrates clear,
focused, unified and
coherent organization
Shows some depth and
complexity of thought
May distort or neglect
parts of the topic
Expresses passion for
subject and writer’s
voice is distinctive
Shows clarity of thought
but may lack complexity
May be simplistic or
stereotyped in thought
May have
generalizations without
supporting detail or
detail without
generalizations; may be
undeveloped
Word Choice Fluency
High degree of
craftsmanship
Expresses interest in
subject and writer’s
voice is emerging
Organization is
appropriate, but
formulaic
Writer is clearly
interested in subject
though language is
unnatural and voice
might seem stiff
Language is functional and
appropriate
No clear writer’s voice
Monotonous word choice,
often repetitious,
sometimes inappropriate
for audience
Lack of structure;
disorganized and hard
to follow
Mechanics
May have very few minor
mechanical errors, which
do not distract the reader
Effective variation in
sentence patterns and
diction
Is effectively organized
with inviting
introduction and
satisfying closure
Is adequately developed,
with some detail
D –Developing (1)
Voice
High degree of craftsmanship;
effective variation in sentence
Is fully developed and
patterns and diction.
detailed
Is well developed, with
supporting detail
C – Competent (2)
Organization
Broad range of words that
energize writing
Has a few mechanical
errors
Good variety in length and
structure
Has some mechanical
errors, which at times
distract the reader
Lack variety in length and
structure
Sentence structures often
choppy
Consistent mechanical
errors that are distracting
The Activity
1. Select and read a small chunk (9 consecutive lines) from Sedaris’s piece “Me
Talk Pretty One Day” [Hard Copy]
1. Collect sentence “data” while you read [Hard Copy Handout], the review the data
and write down a few of your observations.
The Activity
What did you notice about Sedaris’s sentences?
Please share your observations with the person next to you.
The Activity
1. Now find a small chunk of a piece you are working on (9 consecutive lines).
1. Collect the same data from your own piece and make some observations.
1. Where is there room for revision, on the sentence level?
Student Response
Dan Rathers started almost every sentence mentioning the person he was talking about in
one form or another. Also he never used the same term more than 3 times
in a row. I could use this little info to make sure my own piece does
not get repetitive. Most of the verbs he used were different except a few times. mostly
passive, some were active. Sentence length would go too low to big to some
mediums in a completely random fashion.
Student Response
Dan Rather uses many different literary devices in his writing that are woven in
seamlessly and if I was able to do that I think it would make my writing much more
enjoyable to read. Another thing that he does is he fluxuates the amount of words he
has per sentence to create a fluency to the writing. When I write I would like to use this
chart so I am able to notice how I am starting each sentence so you can get a variety. I also
could use the chart to make sure I am using most of my verbs actively like Dan Rather does
in the excerpt I read. One thing that is not on the chart but Rather does in his writing is
include the quotes in his writing so that it is not just she says, “...” he puts his own
thoughts between one quotation and the next. “They live the dream” along with this
chart have been very helpful resources that I am excited to include in my writing.
Student Response
This chart show that Dan Rather prefered to write his reports starting with the introduction of a subject’s dream,
their background, then their obstacles, and lastly, their accomplishment of goals and aftermath. All of the sections
ends with a quote from its subject. Rather employed more active than passive verbs which
add empowerment and strong voice to his reports. While his varying length of sentences
create moderation in reading his reports. The length of sentences varies from five to thirtytwo words but most of the sentences were between fifteen and twenty-five. His
writing is precise and to the point discussing only about the subjects’ dreams, their struggles, and their
success. This results in short paragraphs in each section in the range between two to four paragraphs.
Another thing that I realized is that the author organized his text in chronological order with different
sentence structures. There are sentences composed of single independent clause, one dependent and one
independent clause, or two independent clauses joined by colon. The use of differing structures generate
complex sentences, showing sophistication. Through reading Rather’s texts, I gain samples for writing
skills such as verb use, sentence fluency, voice, organization, and detail. I may use the above chart to
compare Mr. Rather’s writing with mine. The most important skill I obtained by analysing
this chart is how to start a sentence with intention and focus.
Why is this activity effective?
Clark, Roy Peter. (2008). Writing tools: fifty essential strategies.
“At times, it helps to think of writing as carpentry. That way, writers and editors
can work from a plan and use tools stored on their workbench. You can borrow a
writing tool at any time. And here’s a secret: Unlike hammers, chisels, and rakes,
writing tools never have to be returned. They can be cleaned, sharpened, and
passed on.”
This activity gives students a specific self-assessment tool/strategy for their
toolboxes to be used with future writing.
Hale, Constance. (1998). Sin and syntax. Three Rivers Press: New York.
“The art of sentence-making comes down to variety. Just because you can do the
three-and-a-half somersault tuck off the high board doesn’t mean you must ditch
the gorgeous swan dive. Good sentences can be short and muscular and they can
be long and graceful. Like the imagination, they shift and surprise. You, the writer,
must play with them. Try a sentence one way, then another” (188).
This activity helps struggling writers and also the more advanced ones.
- Struggling Writers: Avoid redundancy and boring writing
- Competent Writers: Consider intentional sentence choices, as well as
vary sentence type and length.
Goldberg, Natalie. (1986). Writing down the bones. Shambhala: Boston.
“The more you are aware of the syntax you move, see in, and write in, the better
control you have and the more you can step out of it when you need to” (63).
More Advanced Writers: Understanding the rules/expectations and then
intentionally breaking them.
Maple Leaf
by Betty Freeman
That I dream the lady does to be young
and to be in her pretty red Christmas ball.
Her dress looks like a beautiful swan
The swan floats with his thin white feathers
when his soft snow head
floats under to be a woman like the one,
to be with a long wing.
Notes
1. The amount of text should vary according to skill level and student stamina.
1. There is an enormous opportunity for text complexity with this lesson. Genre of mentor
text should (probably) match the text student is working on.
1. It is also nice to use student examples as mentor texts; bad examples can be just as
effective as good ones.
Agency Through
Peer Feedback
Fostering Student
Bree Gannon
Michigan State University
Grand Rapids Community College
The Problem
1. Students do not want to change their work after peer
review.
2. Students find peer review does not provide useful
feedback for revision.
3. Take a moment to reflect on your past feedback
experiences. What have you found most helpful for
revision?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBuq4qgRhCc
Options-1. Start feedback process earlier and use throughout.
●
●
●
●
●
Freewrite
Pre-first draft
First draft (conferences)
Second draft (optional)
Revision Memo
2. Online Review Forum
http://elireview.com/
3. Flipping Peer Review
Framing
1. What does useful feedback look like?
A. Read Mentor Text (homework)
B. In groups, provide three comments and three questions for the mentor
text
C. Write on board
D. Notice what feedback is most useful
Overachievers: Identify three things that are needed for effective feedback
(30 minutes)
Flipping Peer Review
2. Look at your own work
A. On a separate piece of paper, write down the sentence or paragraph
you feel is the strongest and the weakest piece of writing.
Flipping Peer Review
2. Look at your own work
A. On a separate piece of paper, write down the sentence or paragraph
you feel is the strongest and the weakest piece of writing.
B. Write down what you think is important in this particular piece.
Flipping Peer Review
2. Look at your own work
A. On a separate piece of paper, write down the sentence or paragraph
you feel is the strongest and the weakest piece of writing.
B. Write down what you think is important in this particular piece.
C. Write down in a sentence or two what you are concerned about with
the writing.
Flipping Peer Review
2. Look at your own work
A. On a separate piece of paper, write down the sentence or paragraph
you feel is the strongest and the weakest piece of writing.
B. Write down what you think is important in this particular piece.
C. Write down in a sentence or two what you are concerned about with
the writing.
D. Compose three questions to ask a reviewer. These questions should
not be answerable with yes or no and should also not be related to
grammar.
Flipping Peer Review, cont’d
Go around the room and share one of your questions.
WHERE??
Flipping Peer Review, cont’d
E. Find a partner and have them read your work
F. Ask these two question:
- Could you point to the part of my paper you felt was the strongest?
- Could you point to the section where you felt yourself wandering off or
confused?
G. Ask the three questions you composed (NO GRAMMAR).
H. When finished, write a paragraph describing what you learned and what
your next steps are.
Discussion
When students hand in their final drafts, I ask them to repeat the process of
identifying strengths, weaknesses, and questions for me (directly on drafts).
Why?
● Gives student agency and power over writing and feedback process.
● Provides opportunity for reflection in a different form prior to final draft
● Puts the responsibility of success of peer review on the writer
● Asking students to answer “Where?” throughout the process causes them
to more closely analyze the text and what specifically caused their
response to it (more critical readers)
Discussion, Cont’d
1. How do you think this could fit in with Bless, Address, Press?
1. What opportunities outside of the academy do we have for peer review?
What does that look like?
Agency Through
Reflection
Fostering Student
Mary Ebejer
Grand Rapids Community College
Western Michigan University
Your Turn--LMWP Reflection
1. Take a few minutes to review the writing in your LMWP portfolio and any
informal writing you have done during our time here together.
2. Note any patterns you see in your writing or areas of growth as a writer.
3. Feel free to jot down or sketch out your noticings.
3-5 minutes
Free-write a reflection of your LMWP writing experience based on ONE of the
following prompts:
10 minutes
Your Turn--LMWP Reflection
1. What surprises me in my LMWP portfolio? Why?
2. What risks did I take each week? What
happened?
3. How did I change as a writer during LMWP? What didn’t change?
4. How did my writing change? What didn’t change about my writing?
5. What patterns do I see in my writing and in feedback from colleagues?
6. How did I change as a writing teacher during LMWP? What will I take back to my
classroom?
- Adapted from Lucy Calkins, The Art of Teaching Writing, p. 327
Problem
1. Writing Process = Pounding out a rough-revised-final draft in one (or, if you’re lucky)
two sittings without benefit of steps in the recursive writing process.
2. Don’t value writing and editing strategies they learn, or the peer and instructor
feedback they receive. (Feedback and grades not valued, a.k.a. “In one ear and out
the other.”)
3. Don’t use metacognition to articulate what makes their writing “good” and how they
can make it even better. (Thinking about their thinking as a growth strategy.)
4. Don’t honor and celebrate their incremental growth as writers, so don’t appreciate
how much they grow from paper to paper, or over the course of the semester. (“Hey,
what do you know, I AM a writer!”)
Solution--
Ongoing Meaningful Reflection
Solution--Ongoing Reflection
1. Process Portfolios for each paper to document the steps in their writing process. (Try all
the steps this semester. You can always go back to the old way.)
Solution--Ongoing Reflection
1. Process Portfolios for each paper to document the steps in their writing process. (Try all
the steps this semester. You can always go back to the old way.)
2. Reflections for each paper to “think about their thinking” throughout the writing process.
(What worked, what didn’t, what to try next time.)
Solutions--Ongoing Reflection
“From this project I have learned that the more drafts that I make the more mistakes I
can find and improve. If I start a project early enough and step away from it for an hour or even
a day I can have a fresh take on it when I come back. I highly advise myself not to
procrastinate and get involved with a project right away, even if it is just
drawing out an outline.”
~ Kendra
Solution--Ongoing Reflection
“I
advise myself next time to really focus on layout and design and the
purpose they serve – not just visually but how they will help the document be the most
beneficial. Sometimes I get too caught up in how the document looks (whether it’s ‘cool’,
or ‘trendy’) and I take away from the actual purpose of the document.
“Next assignment I need to give myself more time to complete multiple drafts. I am a master
procrastinator. I normally only produce 2 drafts (rough draft and final), but I realized that it
really is important to edit multiple drafts and revise them and peer edit them in
order to perfect my document.”
~ Bailey
Solution--Ongoing Reflection
“I enjoy writing so much now that I have a better understanding of how to make sense of my
thoughts. Every time I write something I reference back to the things that I have
learned so far in this class and semester. From writing the process paper to the descriptive
essay, I feel as though my writing skills have blossomed into something not even I
thought I could do, write with clarity. My organization has improved drastically over
the last ten weeks and I can’t wait to see where they are in another year of two.”
~ Kevin
Solution--Ongoing Reflection
1. Process Portfolios for each paper to document the steps in their writing process. (Try all
the steps this semester. You can always go back to the old way.)
2. Reflections for each paper to “think about their thinking” throughout the writing process.
(What worked, what didn’t, what to try next time.)
3. Final Portfolio of all writing to document their growth as writers over the course of the
semester. (Seeing is believing.)
Solution--Ongoing Reflection
1. Process Portfolios for each paper to document the steps in their writing process. (Try all
the steps this semester. You can always go back to the old way.)
2. Reflections for each paper to “think about their thinking” throughout the writing process.
(What worked, what didn’t, what to try next time.)
3. Final Portfolio of all writing to document their growth as writers over the course of the
semester. (Seeing is believing.)
4. Final Reflection Letter to explore changes in their writing and writing process, and their
growth as writers over the semester. (Addressed to me or future student.)
Solution--Ongoing Reflection
“I remember when I first started this class, I had no idea how to properly start a paper. The
introduction took the most time for me to come up with. Having to sit there and think “how am I
supposed to start this thing”?! I struggled for the first few weeks, but trust me guys
and gals it gets so much easier! After a while you’re going to look back at your papers and
be like “wow”! “I can’t believe I did made those silly mistakes”. Well its 14 weeks
later and I can say that I start papers with no problem now.”
~ Brandon
Solution--Ongoing Reflection
“After looking back on the first paper I wrote for EN 097, I have noticed a considerable
difference in the voice, structure, and flow of my writing. In the first several papers
I wrote for this class, I used mostly bland, uninteresting language. Each piece of writing
included a few colorful adjectives, and maybe an action verb or two. I did use a seemingly
infinite amount of boring words such as “is,” “go,” “be,” “good,” “nice,” “bad,” and “things.” I
didn’t begin this class as a bad writer. I just didn’t know the specifics of what
separated mediocre writing and fantastic writing. This English class helped me to use
varied sentence structure and vibrant wording. It is amazing that changing
“went” to “jumped” makes all the difference!”
~ Taylor
Solution--Ongoing Reflection
“The way the course is laid out is typical when it comes to grading, but the overall theme is to
reflect on how you were as a writer when you started, to how you are when
you finish. As I look over my portfolio, I can definitely tell I got much better. And it’s
not so much all the marks I got on the first paper, but the sound and the flow of them
greatly improved as well.
“So never fear, you may take this class for being a pain in the ass. But stick it out you may actually
learn a thing or two from. Or like me, maybe you might like writing all of a sudden.”
~ Rodney
Solution--Ongoing Reflection
1. Process Portfolios for each paper to document the steps in their writing process. (Try all
the steps this semester. You can always go back to the old way.)
2. Reflections for each paper to “think about their thinking” throughout the writing process.
(What worked, what didn’t, what to try next time.)
3. Final Portfolio of all writing to document their growth as writers over the course of the
semester. (Seeing is believing.)
4. Final Reflection Letter to explore changes in their writing and writing process, and their
growth as writers over the semester. (Addressed to me or future student.)
5. Final Portfolio and Reflection Presentation to share final thoughts with our writing
community. (Codify and celebrate their growth as writers.)
Goals for Coming Semester
Ask more questions
Try harder
Put time aside each day to write my book
Stay organized
Stay focused
Getting to class as staying on point
Keep up the good work! :)
Get er done
Be more organized
Stay organized
Go on Blackboard
Try harder
Tips/Advice for Future Students
Don’t Procrastinate!
Go to class
Git er done
Stay calm
Dont’ give up
Go to class
Check Blackboard
Blackboard
Don’t procrastinate
Do Homework
Go on Blackboard
Do journals
Let’s Talk
1. Do you use reflection in your classroom? When? How? Why?
2. Do you view it as part of the “writing process” or “writing assessment”?
3. Where else could students use reflections to increase their agency in other aspects of
their education … and their lives?
References
Calkins, Lucy. (1994). The art of teaching writing (New ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Clark, Roy Peter. (2008). Writing tools: 50 essential strategies every writer should know.
Duranti, Alessandro. (2001). Performance and encoding of agency in historical-natural languages. Texas
Linguistic Forum, 44. Retrieved from http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/anthro/faculty/duranti/reprints/01perf_agency.pdf
Elbow, Peter. (1998). Writing Without Teachers.
Goldberg, Natalie. (1986). Writing down the bones. 1986. Shambhala: Boston.
Hale, Constance. (1999). Sin and syntax. Three Rivers Press: New York.
Ratcliffe, Krista. (2005). Rhetorical Listening: Identification, Gender Whiteness.
Rich, Adrienne. (1977). Claiming an education. Speech presented at Douglass College, New Brunswick, NJ.
Retrieved from http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic469725.files/Rich-Claiming%20an%20Education-1.pdf