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Post by knitgirl113 on Sept 11, 2009 14:08:36 GMT -5
We're new to this! My dd is 13 and a prolific writer and reader. I chose not to start her in the older beginner's, but to jump right into Maxim. She is doing very well and is loving it.
I, however, need to find a way to assign grades for her writing projects. Any ideas? I found a rubric in the Homer section but that seems to be focused on the Narrative writing. How could I set up a rubric for her writing projects?
If this question is answered elsewhere, please direct me to that. Thanks!
Deanna
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Post by Lene Mahler Jaqua on Sept 13, 2009 9:31:10 GMT -5
Deanna, I am hesitant to point too far in the direction of rubrics so far as essay grading goes, for the following reasons. 1. A grade assigned by mom is ...just that ... a grade assigned by mom. 2. A number assigned is not as helpful to a student as real feedback. No matter how objective a grading rubric, a grade is not really a telling measurement when you have a group where n=1, in other words, one participant. 3. We offer check lists and means of evaluating your daughter's essay such that she can improve by you or her asking questions that explore whether or not she has exhausted her topic, whether her style is consistent, whether her organization is good and so forth. I recommend that you look over those editing check lists as a means of evaluating her essay. But even in large classrooms rubrics are not appropriate, in my opinion, in language arts or in any subject where we are dealing with art. Rubrics were invented for the sake of the teacher of a large group of students NOT for the sake of the students. Rubrics are (so far as I know) American educational tools. At least I never saw one for all the years I grew up and lived in Continental Europe (I don't know if the Brits use them), and I went all the way from 1st grade through undergraduate education there. In most American schools 'points' are the way that assignments are graded and point ultimately will determine a student's grade. It is an attempt to be objective, to be sure, but I am not sure it is really possible to be completely objective about an 'art' such as writing. Nor am I sure a number is a helpful standard for evaluation. Your daughter needs to be evaluated not on an absolute scale but in such a way that she knows where to improve relative to her own abilities and relative to where she has been before, such that she grows in her writing. In the past when I have been part of co-op teaching, I have had to use rubrics to evaluate essays: 10 points for organization, 10 points for grammar and punctuation correctness, 10 points for mastery of subject, etc. I have never felt that these points were helpful in my assessment of the essay, and ultimately whether I deem a person in full mastery of his subject (10 points) or not quite so (8 points) still ends up being a product of my personal feel for how well the student did. It is much different in math and science which are not art because you have THE answer available and we know the answer is correct, so we can easily assess how close any student comes to getting the correct answer and assign points from that. If you want to read more about how to create your own rubrics, this may be a starting point, 712educators.about.com/cs/rubrics/ht/htcreaterubric.htmOne more point, and I hope my deviant response isn't too overwhelming, my students (I have 4 high schoolers) have to write until the essay meets my standards for a good essay, which is the standard for how well I think that student can perform given the new skills he has just been taught. My strongest essay student has as much work to do (perhaps more) as my weakest essay student because I keep 'hammering' on what I want them to improve on until the essay is 'up to snuff'. That, to me is the beauty of homeschooling, that we don't have to just declare something done. If you ever want us to take a peek at one of her essays, we have the writing project board here where you're welcome to post an essay of hers for feedback. You can post more or less anonymously and we just give suggestions for what to work on, where to focus as well as mega kudos for jobs well done. Lene Jaqua |
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Post by Deanna on Sept 13, 2009 19:08:58 GMT -5
Lena,
Thank you so much! BIG HUGE SIGH! I was considering posting her work but I want to get her permission first. I have thought for some time that rubrics were arbitrary and not really indicative of the work. I will evaluate them for her improvement, not for a grade. Thanks for the feedback and suggestions and for giving me the freedom not to apply a rubric.
My daughter LOVES this writing course. It is right up her alley. She hated all the "free writing" and "brainstorming" that is encouraged with other programs. Give her something worth doing and she works her heart out. Thanks so much.
Deanna
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