Agenda
Getting Students to Take Ownership of their Learning
During the Writing Process
November 20, 2014 (3:30-5:00 Merts)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Assess your students using The Instructional Core Framework
Introduction
Data
Overview of Leaders of Their Own Learning Model (Ron Berger)
Models (strong and weak models)
Critique
Descriptive feedback
Student Accountability
Additional Strategies: The 6 Traits Model, ACTAspire prompts
Common Challenges
Socrative
Norms:
Limit Electronic Communication
Limit Side bar Conversations
Collaborate and Participate with Group
Respect other’s opinions
Getting Students to Take Ownership
of their Learning During the Writing
Process
What does it look like when Students take
ownership for learning?
Assess your students using the Instructional Core Framework
• The Framework is divided into Level 0 - Level 3
• Examine bottom half of each table- place check where your students
are– Focus on columns labelled “Questioning” and “Responsibility”
How do I get Students to Take
Responsibility for the Learning?
Build a culture of Accountability
1.
2.
3.
4.
Models (teacher accountable)
Critique (accountable to each other)
Descriptive Feedback (accountable to each other/safe )
Accountable (product for authentic audience)
How do I get Students to Take Responsibility for
the Learning?
*Demonstrates a clear understanding of the reflective narrative
task by recounting a well-chosen experience and capably reflecting
on its meaning in relation to the narrative writing task.
Models:
Students must SEE for themselves what quality looks like*
(comparing strong and weak anonymous work)
http://web.alsde.edu/general/annotatedpackets/20082009/grade5annotatedexemplars
-2.pdf
http://web.alsde.edu/general/annotatedpackets/20082009/grade7annotatedexemplars
-2.pdf
http://web.alsde.edu/general/annotatedpackets/20082009/grade10annotatedexempla
rs-2.pdf
http://elschools.org
https://dqam6mam97sh3.cloudfront.net/resources/document/resource/14864/Person
al+Narratives+Student+Work.PDF
• Reflective Narrative (3rd&6th)
Modes of
Writing:
• Expository (4th & 7th)
• Argument/Persuasive(5th, 8th, HS)
ACTAspire
Grade 3
Reflective Narr.
Development
Organization
Language
Score: 5
Responses at
this scorepoint
demonstrate
capable skill
in writing a
reflective
narrative
essay
Demonstrates a
clear
understanding of
the reflective
narrative task by
recounting a wellchosen
experience and
capably reflecting
on its meaning in
relation to the
narrative writing
task.
The experience is
successfully
narrated, with use
of narrative
techniques (e.g.,
dialogue,
descriptive
detail). Ideas are
clearly explained
and they may be
integrated with
the narration of
the experience.
Exhibits a clear
beginning,
middle, and
end, and ideas
are logically
sequenced.
Connections
between the
elements of
the story are
clear. Capable
use of
transitions
signals a clear
order of
events.
Demonstrates the
ability to clearly
convey meaning.
Word choice is
consistently
appropriate. Sentence
structures are clear &
may be varied. Voice &
tone are appropriate
for the narrative
purpose & are
maintained
throughout most of
the response. While
errors in grammar,
usage, and mechanics
may be present, they
do not significantly
impede understanding
ACTAspire
Grade 6
Reflective Narr.
Development
Organization
Language
core: 6
Responses at
this scorepoint
demonstrate
effective skill
in writing a
reflective
narrative
essay
The writer
effectively
engages with the
reflective
narrative writing
task by
recounting a
meaningful
experience and
thoughtfully
reflecting on its
significance.
The experience is
effectively
narrated, with
skillful use of
narrative
techniques (e.g.,
dialogue,
descriptive
details). Ideas are
well explained.
Reflection on the
experience and
narration of the
experience are
mostly integrated
and balanced.
Exhibits a
purposeful
organizational
strategy.
Connections
between the
elements of
the story are
clear and
purposeful. A
logical
progression of
ideas increases
the
effectiveness
of the writer’s
narrative.
Demonstrates the
ability to effectively
convey meaning with
clarity. Word choice is
sometimes precise.
Sentence structures
are varied and clear.
Voice and tone are
appropriate for the
narrative purpose and
are maintained
throughout the
response. While a few
errors in grammar,
usage, and mechanics
may be present, they
do not impede
understanding.
How do I get Students to Take
Responsibility for the Learning?
Critique Lessons: involves NAMING (Must Scaffold)
How do I get Students to Take
Responsibility for the Learning?
Descriptive Feedback
• (Teacher models praise, question, suggest)
• Time must be allowed to use the feedback
• http://www.learner.org/workshops/middlewriting/prog7.html
• http://successatthecore.com
Why feedback sometimes isn't effective
• A student (Joe) shares with another
student (Jane) a piece of writing that they
are trying to refine.
 Jane writes on the paper “great job!”
 This is kind feedback, but it is
neither helpful nor specific. Joe
cannot do anything else to refine his
paper with this feedback.
Why feedback sometimes isn't effective
• A student (Jessica) shares with another
student (Jim) a piece of writing that they
are trying to refine.
 Jim writes, “You need more
examples and to fix your grammar.”
 While this is still kind, and even
helpful, it is not specific. If Jessica
knew what grammatical errors she
had made she might have been able
to fix them.
To view the exemplar ACT Aspire CBT Writing questions
online, visit tn.actaspire.org
Subject
User Name
Password
Grade 3
writing3
actaspire
Grade 4
writing4
actaspire
Grade 5
writing5
actaspire
Grade 6
writing6
actaspire
Grade 7
writing7
actaspire
Grade 8
writing8
actaspire
PDF of sample prompts
How do I get Students to Take Responsibility
for the Learning?
Accountability (peer conference, publish)
• Gallery, Wordpress, Googledocs,blog,booklet…)
Is there a more profound lesson than taking pride in creating work of
importance and beauty for a real audience?
-Ron Berger, Expeditionary Learning
How do I get Students to Take Responsibility
for the Learning?
Build a culture of Accountability
• Models: Students must SEE for themselves what quality looks like*
(compare strong and weak)
• Critique: means NAMING (Must Scaffold before able to name)
• Descriptive Feedback (praise, question, suggest)-must be modeled*
• Accountability (peer conference, publish)
• 6 Traits Model
•
Grade 3 Reflective Narrative Writing
• You are going to write a story about a time when you tried
something new.
• Think about how you felt when you tried something new, and
what you learned about trying new things. Here are some
questions to help you think about your story and plan it:
• • What did you try and did anyone help you?
• How did you feel while trying this thing?
• Did you ever want to give up?
• Will you try more new things in the future? Why or why not?
• How did this change the way you think about trying new things?
• Now, write a story that describes a time when you tried something
new. Your story should tell your reader what you learned about
trying new things.
Grade 6 Reflective Narrative Writing
• You are going to write a reflective narrative.
• As you get older, people expect more of you. Think about
a new responsibility that you have
taken on in the past year. What were some of the
challenges you faced as you assumed this new
responsibility, and how did you deal with those
difficulties? Write a story to show what it was like to take
on a new responsibility, and reflect on what you learned
from this experience. Be sure to use descriptive details to
show what this experience means to you.
Common Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Not spending enough Time on culture building /norms setting
Lack of clarity to Learning Targets
Choosing the wrong work to critique
Neglecting the T role during critiques
Neglecting the S role
Underestimating student sensitivities to hearing feedback
Asking students to engage in peer feedback when they are
unprepared to succeed
What to Expect
•
•
•
•
Teachers use LT to guide their critique lessons and descriptive feedback
Teachers begin collecting strong models of student work
Students understand what is expected of them
feel ownership for learning and understand that there is always room for
improvement and seek next step suggestions from peers and teacher
m.socrative.com
• Room # 451372