Hi Dr.

Hartman,
I was very excited to assign my literacy narrative. I had two students (my mom and
sister). I think they showed me what teachers go through on a day-to-day basis. My mom took
my assignment very seriously. She called to make sure she was understanding the assignment
handout, and I shared my personal experience with writing a literacy narrative. My sister did not
take the assignment seriously. I had to nag her. It is very frustrating to have to nag someone, and
I am certain this happens in real classrooms. Once I received the papers back, I took some time
to read through them and to make comments about the content. Making comments comes very
naturally to me. What I struggled with is how to find a balance between content and
grammar/mechanical issues. I also began to second-guess myself. I would think, Just because I
wouldnt say it this way doesnt make it wrong, does it? I do not want to take away from
someones natural voice, especially in a narrative. I limited my comments on issues like sentence
structure, and focused my comments on content. I feel like this would have been my getting to
know you as a writer assignment. I want to be in a position to help my students grow as writers
and to help them gain confidence in their own abilities. I like what you said in your video about
finding a balance between content and mechanics, and then in class reviewing the issues that
appeared in papers (as a group). I would want to do this, too. You will see that I created
comments in each of their final drafts using the WORD comment feature. I also wrote a brief
note to each student below their rubric. This has been a very valuable and interesting experience.
Thank you, Nickie

Nickie Crowe
Dr. Hartman
ENED 683
March 29, 2015
WAD Assign/Assess Phase
Rationale/Overview
Writing can be a difficult task. I am choosing to design my assignment as a literacy
narrative to ease the writer into the process of writing. This type of writing allows the author to
be in a position of authority, which eliminates the additional pressure of researching for
supplementary sources. A narrative tells a personal story from the authors point of view. In a
literacy narrative, the student will explore their individual history with reading and writing to

facilitate a self-awareness of their own literacy (HartmanHaps Video Module). The writer will
explore obstacles they have encountered, as well as moments of clarity. The literacy narrative
can heal scars students may carry, can help transform students into writers, and can be very
empowering for the student, because through the literacy narrative, students learn that each of us
battle writing demons (Mascle Metawriting).
My goal is to empower a classroom of students with the knowledge that they are all
writers. I chose this genre because it allows the student to write about a topic they are very
familiar with, themselves. As a teacher of writing, this type of assignment gives me a glimpse of
their past experiences with reading and writing. By reading their narratives, I can organize my
class assignments to fit the needs of my students. As students reflect on their own literacy, they
can begin thinking about literacy in a global sense and become part of the ongoing academic
conversation. This type of assignment could lead to a larger service learning component where
students engage in community literacy issues.
Context
I am creating this assignment for a mock introductory writing course. The intended
audience would be first year college students. This course would be set up in a distance learning
environment. For the purpose of this exercise, the actual participants of this writing assignment
will be two family members. One family member is thinking about returning to school and
would fall into the category of a first year college student. The other family member enjoys
reading but not writing, so will gain personal insight from participating.
The literacy narrative will take place over a two week period. This assignment would be
the introductory assignment for the course. During the first week of the course, students will
participate in a brainstorming activity. After completion of the activity, they will begin drafting

their literacy narrative. At the end of the week, students will exchange papers with a classmate
for a peer review workshop. If I had more students, I would have papers submitted to a space like
Google +, so each paper could receive feedback from two to three peers. This mock class is
small, so the exchange will happen through email. Students will use the commenting tool in
WORD to leave suggestions on their classmates paper. Papers will need to be returned by
Monday of week two, in order for students to complete revisions before submitting their papers
to me for assessment. The timeline will be as follows:
Week 1:
Activity 1 Brainstorming
Rough Draft
Peer Review Swap by Friday
Week 2:
Peer Review Return by Monday
Rough Draft Revisions
Final Draft due by Saturday at midnight via email
I will create a space in my course website for student questions regarding the assignment. For
purposes of my mock-classroom, I will use email and telephone appointments to answer any
questions.
During these two weeks and throughout the semester, the course website will focus on
writing and the importance of practicing the craft of writing. We will be reading Natalie
Goldbergs Writing Down the Bones, as well as Anne Lamotts Bird by Bird and reflecting in
daybooks on our reactions to the texts. My online classroom will be a space to learn about who

we are as writers and to overcome any negative feelings toward the craft of writing. Part of my
philosophy of teaching writing is aligned with Natalie Goldberg:
Through practice you will get better. You learn to trust yourself more and not give in to
your voice that wants to avoid writing. It is odd that we never question the feasibility of a
football team practicing long hours for one game; yet in writing we rarely give ourselves
the space for practice. When youre writing, dont say, Im going to write a poem. That
attitude will freeze you right away. Sit down with the least expectation of yourself, say, I
am free to write the worst junk in the world. (Goldberg 11)
My classroom will be a space where students explore and write every day. I will be the instructor
who joins them, so that we may learn together.
Goals/Objectives/Standards
Student Objectives
1. Develop effective writing strategies through writing practice and process work
2. Practice reading and responding critically and respectfully to the works of peers
3. Understand and practice MLA formatting
4. Develop a clear understanding of narrative writing
5. Produce writing that is focused, organized, and considers audience (Rhetorical Knowledge)
Actual Assignment Design
See attached handout (located after Works Cited page)
The introductory section of the handout was inspired by a blog discussion (Hartman Weblog).
Assessment Tool/Plan
Rubric:
Process Work:

Points Assignment
Description:
Possible Objectives
Process work is present demonstrating
____/25
1, 2
student participation in brainstorming and

peer review process

Revised Draft:

____/25

Narrative Writing

____/20

4,5

Rhetorical Knowledge

____/10

4,5

____/10

____/10

Knowledge of
Conventions
Presentation

Final draft shows evidence of revision

Includes rich, supporting details and includes
reflection and awareness
Purpose of narrative is clear, consideration to
audience is clear
Little to no issues in readability, clear control
over mechanics, grammar, and usage
Clear and includes MLA formatting

* This assignment is worth 100

points.

I reviewed a sample rubric to create the rubric for this assignment (Hartman Rubric).

Works Cited
Goldberg, Natalie. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within. Boston: Shambhala,
2005. Print.
HartmanHaps. Module 1: Daybooks and Writer Autobiography. GWU Blackboard. GWU.
January 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.
Hartman, Shana Ph.D. Rubric for Assignment #1 Literacy Narrative. GWU Blackboard.
GWU. GWU. n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2015
Hartman, Shana, Ph.D.. Weblog comment. GWU Blackboard. GWU. 18 Feb. 2015. Web.
21 Feb. 2015
Mascle, Deanna. 10 Ways Literacy Narratives Will Rock Your World. Metawriting. Blogger.
2013. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.

Literacy Narrative Handout

What is a Literacy Narrative: A literacy narrative places the author in a position of authority.
This assignment asks you to explore moments in your life that shaped your attitude toward
reading and writing. As the writer, you will gain self-awareness regarding your literacy. Your
purpose is to engage the reader by placing them in your experiences. You will do this by using
vivid details, as well as dialog (if applicable) within your story. In a global sense, writing a
literacy narrative is your opportunity to join the ongoing conversation of literacy.
Instructions: Please complete the following tasks:
Brainstorming Activity (10 minutes):
Go to a quiet place with your favorite pen and notebook and spend 10 minutes writing in
response to these questions:
1. What is your current attitude toward reading and writing? Be honest.
2. Which moments, academically or personally, stand out to you that have shaped your attitude?
Develop a list of the most important moments in your past literacy experiences. Your list
should be between 5-8 moments/experiences. Jot down who was there, where it happened, and
what age you were at the time.
Literacy Narrative Assignment
Review and reflect on your brainstorming activity. Choose three moments (from your
brainstorming activity) that have impacted your literacy the most. Develop a literacy narrative
that tells the story of each of these moments. Include reflections on how these moments have
shaped your attitude toward reading and writing. Find a common theme between these moments
that will help you develop a clear introductory paragraph for your story. Remember, a literacy
narrative is a personal story, which should include rich, supporting details of each event.
Peer Review
Choose a classmate as a peer-review partner. Remember as a peer, it is not your job to judge
your classmates paper. Please give constructive feedback. Discuss strengths and weaknesses in a
positive, effective way. For example, Emily, I really liked what you said here or Suzie, I
find myself wanting to know more about X. The following are questions that can be used as a
guide as you review each others papers.
Questions to consider:
1. Is the opening paragraph strong with clear intent?
2. Are the transitions between paragraphs effective?
3. Are there any mechanical issues (spelling, grammar)?
4. Are there moments where you would like further explanation?
5. Is it clear they are telling a story of their literacy and using rich details?
Make a plan with your partner for peer review deadlines. Allow yourself time for revisions
before the final deadline listed below.

Assignment Objectives:
1. Develop effective writing strategies through writing practice and process work
2. Practice reading and responding critically and respectfully to the works of peers
3. Understand and practice MLA formatting
4. Develop a clear understanding of narrative writing
5. Produce writing that is focused, organized, and considers audience (Rhetorical Knowledge)
Requirements: You will submit your process work (brainstorming and rough draft with peer
edits) with your revised draft by the due date listed below. Your revised draft should be
approximately 2-3 pages in length. Please use MLA formatting; which means double space your
literacy narrative, use a 12 pt font, and create a 1 margin (look at pages 429 433 in A Writers
Reference 7th Edition. If you have not received your books yet, please let me know as soon as
possible. I can email these pages to you in a PDF format). You will need to email your work to
ncrowe@gardner-webb.edu. Please be sure to save your work with your name included in the
document title (example: Smith Literacy Narrative).
Final Notes: If you have any questions or concerns regarding this assignment, please reach out
via email or make an appointment during my office hours which are listed on the course
syllabus.
Due Dates:
Rough Draft due for peer editing: Friday March 6th Email to Peer Partner
Revised Draft and Process Work due: Saturday March 14th by 11:59 p.m. PST
Rubric for Literacy Narrative
Points Assignment
Rubric:
Description:
Possible Objectives
Process work is present demonstrating
____/25
1, 2
Process Work:
student participation
____/25
1
Process work shows evidence of revision
Revised Draft:
Narrative Writing

____/20

4,5

Rhetorical Knowledge

____/10

4,5

____/10

____/10

Knowledge of
Conventions
Presentation

Includes rich, supporting details and includes

reflection and awareness
Purpose of narrative is clear, consideration to
audience is clear
Little to no issues in readability, clear control
over mechanics, grammar, and usage
Clear and includes MLA formatting

* This assignment is worth 100

points.
*This Literacy Narrative assignment was inspired by Dr. Shana Hartman (HartmanHaps Module
1: Daybooks and Writer Autobiography).

Works Cited
HartmanHaps. Module 1: Daybooks and Writer Autobiography. GWU Blackboard. GWU.
January 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.
Hartman, Shana Ph.D. Rubric for Assignment #1 Literacy Narrative. GWU Blackboard.
GWU. GWU. n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.

Student Sample #1
BRAINSTORMING
Love to read but hate to write.
Spelling words correctly and the mechanic of the language like grammar and punctuation are not
something I enjoy
Putting thoughts down on paper in an organized and comprehensive way felt impossible. But give me
a book to read and Im happy.
1. First grade intro to Dick and Jane had lots of pic. Struggled holding pencil till teacher figured out
she couldnt change me to use my right hand.
2. First important book was from catechism God is Love taught by the nuns
3. 4th and 5th grade building simple sentence to include a paragraph and reports. Did not
understand and would get red marks all over my paper. Made me feel bad or that I wasnt
doing very well.
4. 8th graded English teacher, Mrs Everett. Did not like her and didnt understand her approach to
writing . She was really had to impress even the A students got low grades.
5. Mrs Rowe, English reading teacher for high school. Really liked her. Intro to books of poetry
and writings of Dickens, Did more oral work in class then writing.
6. Took community college course to help after graduation
7. Loved reading to sm children and teaching them to read.
8. Now can do what I like.

Student #1
Literacy Narrative Handout
Brainstorming Draft
Love to read but hate to write. Spelling words correctly and the mechanic of language (spelling
/grammar) give me anxiety and stress. Trying to put my thoughts down in an organized process
has never been easy for me. But for enjoyment, put an interesting book in front of me and I
can read all day.
All I can remember from the moment I was old enough for school was writing was hard. I
started first grade like children start pre-school now. I was introduced to the letters of the
alphabet by an older sister and brothers, same as learning to tie my shoes. How-ever when it
came to holding a pencil, I had trouble. I was left handed. Back in the mid Fifties children who

were naturally left handed were encouraged to use their right hand. Mrs. Brown, my First
grade teacher was smart enough to let my natural ability for being left handed stand after a few
trials and tribulations. She turned my paper a different direction, stood in front of me instead
of behind me and placed the pencil in my left hand and I finally began to make marks that met

Comment [O1]: This is interesting. Do you think

this experience affected your attitude toward
reading and writing? Did the difficulty you
encountered create a negative feeling toward
writing? When you had this moment with Mrs.
Brown, it sounds like an aha moment. Do you feel
like this experience could have been a major shift in
your literacy?

her approval
Reading was something I just took too. Before I could read, I would pretended to be a librarian
checking books out of my family book case. I believe my first books were simple readers about
Dick and Jane. They had simple sentences and great picture to help tell their story.

Comment [O2]: I would love to hear more about

this. Did your siblings participate in your home
library?

Somewhere near the fourth grade, expectations in writing became more worrisome because of
the red marks that were always on my paper from corrections done by my teacher. I would
forget to capitalize or miss-spell a word or forget to put a coma in the right place. I became real
sensitive about this as I didnt want my friends in class to see the marks and it made me feel
bad. . I know what I wanted to say, but I couldnt put it together in an order that made sense.
Reading was still one subject I looked forward to. I could bury myself in stories that made me
laugh and were interesting both fiction and non-fiction. I struggled when I had to build a book
report though. I still wouldnt let that stop my reading.
My progress into Eighth Grade English was very limited at best. I think Mrs. Everett thought I
was a total dunce when it came to writing. I just didnt get it. Nouns, verbs, adjectives,
puncutiaion and grammar, none of this made much sense nor did it sink in to my brain for some
reason. Those red marks just kept showing up on my papers no matter how hard I tried.
I still loved to read but my passion for reading came only after this great reading teacher Mrs.
Rowe, introduced me to books like Great Expectations, Little Women Jane Ere and books
of poetry. Most of what I did in that class was oral. I did just fine. I loved that teacher.
After graduation, the reality of facing the prospect of employment made me nervous. My
English writing skills were below average so I went to the local community college and took a
class in English Grammar/ puncuaition. Working through the workbook at my own pace and

Comment [O3]: Its nice to hear that your

aggravation with writing did not affect your love of
reading.

having an instructor who was patient and did not use red pencil to correct my work (she used
green) gave me more confidence.
As I reflect back I see clearly why I still to this day do not like to write. The best part about
moving forward in time and ageing is you get to choose what you like to do. I spent many years
working with preschool and kindergarten children in the classroom teaching them how to read
and also working as an assistant to the Libririan. All and All after all these years, with the help

Comment [O4]: This is a nice turn in the

narrative. Connecting your feelings about literacy to
red marks, and being able to overcome those
negative feelings through green marks symbolizing
your triumph in literacy. This shift may be what
eventually led you to be involved with teaching
young children.
Comment [O5]: I would be very interested in
hearing more of this story. A personal anecdote
would be a nice way to end your narrative.

of my computer and correction programs built with bells and whistles I can put something
together that doesnt look or sound too bad.
Student #1
Professor Crowe
ENGL
March 6, 2015
Final Draft

Comment [O6]: A unique title would add to your

narrative.

I love to read but hate to write. Spelling words correctly and the mechanics of language
(spelling /grammar) give me anxiety and stress. Trying to put my thoughts down in an organized
process has never been easy for me. But for enjoyment, put an interesting book in front of me
and I can read all day.
All I can remember from the moment I was old enough for school was writing was hard.
I started first grade like children now start pre-school. I was introduced to the letters of the

Comment [O7]: In the opening paragraph, I am

hearing the beginning of your struggles with
language and writing, as well as your enjoyment of
reading. It may help the reader if there was a
sentence that created a clear connection/transition
to your intent to reflect on certain experiences you
had during your school years.

alphabet by an older sister and brothers, same as learning to tie my shoes. However, when it
came to holding a pencil, I had trouble. I was left handed. Back in the mid fifties children who
were naturally left handed were encouraged to use their right hand. Mrs. Brown, my First
grade teacher, was smart enough to let my natural ability for being left handed stand after a
few trials and tribulations. She turned my paper a different direction, stood in front of me

Comment [O8]: This is an interesting insight. I

imagine not many people know this happened.

instead of behind me, placed the pencil in my left hand, and I finally began to make marks that
met her approval. This act by Mrs. Brown helped me understand the simple eye and hand
coordination, which ultimately made my reading development skills fall into place by
recognition and practice of letter formation. Before I could read, I would pretend to be a
librarian checking books out of my family book case. Left at home while big brothers and sister
were at school, I had only myself to play with or else the baby. I believe my first books were
simple readers about Dick and Jane. They had simple sentences and great picture to help tell
their story.

Comment [O9]: The details of your experience

with Mrs. Brown illustrate that there are many skills
that young people must learn in order to be
successful in reading and writing. Great details!
Comment [O10]: This seems like a shift into a
new experience. One possibility is to begin a new
paragraph here and then deepen the experience
with more details of your interest in being a
librarian. This connects to your final paragraph
where you share that you worked as a librarian
assistant. Its wonderful to see this connection
happen when you were so young, and then to
follow it through to your adulthood.

Somewhere near the fourth grade, expectations in writing became more worrisome
because of the red marks that were always on my paper from corrections made by my teacher.
I would forget to capitalize or miss-spell a word or forget to put a comma in the right place. I
became real sensitive about this as I didnt want my friends in class to see the marks, and it
made me feel bad. I know what I wanted to say, but I couldnt put it together in an order that
made sense. Reading was still one subject I looked forward to. I could bury myself in stories
that made me laugh and were interesting, both fiction and non-fiction. I struggled when I had
to build a book report though. I still wouldnt let that stop my reading.
My progress into eighth grade English was very limited at best. I think Mrs. Everett
thought I was a total dunce when it came to writing. I just didnt get it. Nouns, verbs,
adjectives, punctuation and grammar, none of this made much sense nor did it sink in to my
brain for some reason. Those red marks just kept showing up on my papers no matter how
hard I tried.

Comment [O11]: As the reader, I stumbled a bit

while reading this sentence. You might try reading
your paper out loud, and see if you notice any areas
where the wording or the sentence structure
doesnt flow as easily as it could.
Comment [O12]: Your strong connection with
books has led you to make choices to help others
gain literacy skills. I think that is commendable!
Comment [O13]: Sharing that you enjoyed to
read because books made you laugh or were
interesting helps illustrate your positive experiences
with reading. It may be helpful to the reader if you
were to provide an example or two of which books
you enjoyed or the type of book that you most likely
picked to read. In a narrative, it is important to
provide the reader with rich details of your
experience. You want to draw them into your story,
so they can experience it with you.

I still loved to read but my passion for reading came only after this great reading
teacher Mrs. Rowe, introduced me to books like Great Expectations, Little Women, and
books of poetry. Most of what I did in that class was oral. I did just fine. I loved that teacher.
After graduation, the reality of facing the prospect of employment made me nervous.

Comment [O14]: As a reader, I wonder if your

oral assignments were grounded in books. This
might be a place to deepen your connection to
reading.

My English writing skills were below average so I went to the local community college and took
a class in English Grammar/ punctuation. Working through the workbook at my own pace and
having an instructor who was patient and did not use red pencil to correct my work (she used
green) gave me more confidence.

Comment [O15]: What I am hearing is that you

recognized the importance of developing strong
literacy skills, and you did not let your past
experiences affect your will to move forward. By
continuing to practice and learn, you were able to
help young children with their literacy skills.

As I reflect back, I see clearly why I still to this day do not like to write. The best part
about moving forward in time and ageing is you get to choose what you like to do. I spent
many years working with preschool and kindergarten children in the classroom teaching them
how to read and write. I guess because I struggled so much, I wanted the little ones to know I
understood and wanted to give them an encouraging smile whenever I could with lots of hugs
during their development and accomplishments. I also worked as an assistant to the Librarian.
All and all after all these years, with the help of my computer and correction programs built
with bells and whistles, I can put something together that doesnt look or sound too bad.

Rubric:
Process Work:
Revised Draft:

Points Assignment
Description:
Possible Objectives
Process work is present demonstrating
_25_/25
1, 2
student participation in brainstorming and
peer review process
_25_/25

Final draft shows evidence of revision

Comment [O16]: This sentence is a little

awkward. You could try to break it up into two
sentences.

Narrative Writing

17 /20

4,5

Rhetorical Knowledge

_8_/10

4,5

_6_/10

7_/10

Knowledge of
Conventions
Presentation

Includes rich, supporting details and includes

reflection and awareness
Purpose of narrative is clear, consideration to
audience is clear
Little to no issues in readability, clear control
over mechanics, grammar, and usage
Clear and includes MLA formatting

* This assignment is worth 100

points.

Student #1,
It was a pleasure to read your reflections about your literacy. The strong connection you made
with books at an early age demonstrates your love for reading. The details you shared about
your school experience illustrate your clear understanding of narrative writing. Adding dialog to
your next narrative piece might strengthen your story. I encourage you to try that. Your literacy
narrative includes reflection and awareness of your history with reading and writing. You made
clear connections to the obstacles that you faced. You have a few issues with commas, as well
as places where sentence structure is a little awkward. We can tackle these issues over the
course of the semester. You have earned a grade of 88/100. If you would like to discuss your
paper further, please make an appointment during my office hours.

Student Sample #2
Brainstorming
1. Writing about Crohns senior project
2. Writing about summers in Alaska
3. Nicholas Sparks - books
4. Presidential Report - Grant
5. Camp Casey journal
Student #2
Professor Crowe
ENGL
March 4, 2015
Title
I remember in High School having to do a senior project that required a lot of reading and
writing. I chose to do my project on Crohns Disease, which is a form of Inflammatory Bowel
Disease. I enjoyed doing it because I myself have this disease and I wanted to learn more about
it. I dont enjoy reading let alone writing but this topic definitely interested me a lot. I found it
rewarding because of all the knowledge I gained, and at the end of all my research I had to
present to a panel of 4 people and I passed!!

I remember in the 6th grade my teacher was Mr. Hanson. We went to Camp Casey for a
week and my sister was my councilor which made it even more fun. I am not much of a writer,
but at the end of every day we had to make a journal entry which I did enjoy because I got to
write about how the day went and what made it fun or not so fun. After that week at camp and

Comment [O17]: Maybe a sentence to bring

topic together and opening statement

having journaling a requirement I viewed witting a little different and actually liked it! I liked

Comment [O18]: What did you like about

writing at that time.

putting my thoughts on paper.

I remember in my late 20s finally reading a book from front to back by Nicholas Sparks called
A walk to Remember. Everyone that knows me will tell you I absolutely am not a reader but

Comment [O19]: What was the book about that

touched you so much you couldnt put it down?

this book was so enjoyable and I couldnt put it down. Most books I find boring or they just
dont keep my attention but this one was different. I didnt want to put it down. Since then I
have enjoyed a few more books written by him as well. I view reading a little different now as
long as the writer can keep my attention.

Comment [O20]: What will keep your attention

Student #2
Professor Crowe
ENGL Final Draft
March 6, 2015
Lifes Expressions
Reading and writing have never been a favorite task for me in my life. Although, I do
recall certain experiences that I did enjoy. This paper is a reflection of those positive moments
that have led me to the present. As a mother of four children, I recognize the importance of
literacy, and I hope to be a positive role model for my kids.
I remember in High School having to do a senior project that required a lot of reading and
writing. I chose to do my project on Crohns Disease, which is a form of Inflammatory Bowel
Disease. I enjoyed doing it because I myself have this disease and I wanted to learn more about
it. I dont enjoy reading let alone writing but this topic definitely interested me a lot. I found it

Comment [O21]: The opening paragraph is your

opportunity to grab the readers attention by
providing a few details of what they will be reading.
As the reader, I am getting a vague idea of what you
are about to talk about. I would encourage you to
be more specific. I also find myself wanting to know
why reading and writing have never been a favorite
task for you.
Comment [O22]: No capitalization needed
Comment [O23]: When proofreading, watch for
sentences that are joined by a conjunction; this is a
good indicator that a comma is needed.
Comment [O24]: Also, watch for too many
independent clauses within a sentence. This may be
a place to separate your thoughts into two
sentences , or you may need a conjunction. This will
help the fluidity of your narrative.
Comment [O25]: conjunction

rewarding because of all the knowledge I gained, and at the end of all my research I had to
present to a panel of 4 people and I passed!! Reflecting on all of the hard work that I put into my
project and then finding out that I passed was a very rewarding moment.
I remember in the 6th grade my teacher was Mr. Hanson. We went to Camp Casey for a
week and my sister was my councilor which made it even more fun. I am not much of a writer,
but at the end of every day we had to make a journal entry which I did enjoy because I got to

Comment [O26]: This is a place where you could

deepen your experience by providing details of what
you learned, and how it felt to present your
research to a panel of people. Also, who was on
your panel? Other students? Teachers? As the
reader, this sounds like a major connection to
literacy, and it would be interesting to hear more
details.
Comment [O27]: As the reader, I am curious
about Camp Casey. Was it far away? What types of
things did you do there? Did your entire 6 th grade
class go?

write about how the day went and what made it fun or not so fun. After that week at camp and
having journaling a requirement I viewed witting a little different and actually liked it! I liked
putting my thoughts on paper.

Comment [O28]: What about journaling did you

like? Did you enjoy writing about a personal
experience or was it some other aspect that
provided you with enjoyment?

I remember in my late 20s finally reading a book from front to back by Nicholas Sparks
called A walk to Remember. I related to this story because it was based on characters that were

Comment [O29]: Punctuation goes inside the

quotation marks: A Walk to Remember.

my age. The book was about young love and the trials and tribulations that we face. Everyone
that knows me will tell you I absolutely am not a reader but this book was so enjoyable that I

Comment [O30]: conjunction

couldnt put it down. Most books I find boring or they just dont keep my attention but this one
was different. The story was sad, yet inspiring. Since reading this book, I have enjoyed a few

Comment [O31]: As the reader, I am wondering

what was sad, yet inspiring about this book.

more books written by Sparks, as well. I view reading a little different now as long as the writer
can keep my attention. The story has to feel real, and the characters need to be believable.
These are just a few experiences that I recognize as changing my perspective of reading
and writing to a positive place. As a mom, I notice that my children are learning to read, and
becoming more interested in books. I want to encourage them as much as possible, because I
recognize the importance of good reading and writing skills.

Rubric:

Points
Possible

Assignment
Description:
Objectives

Comment [O32]: In a narrative, the writer can

pull their thoughts together by selecting a theme
that stays true throughout the writing. Your
introduction and conclusion give the reader insight
to how important it is for you to be a positive role
model for your children. You may be able to show
the reader by adding a literacy experience you had
with one of your children. If you remember a
conversation you had with your child, dialog is a
good way to bring the reader into your story.

Process Work:

_10.5_/25

1, 2

Revised Draft:

_25_/25

Narrative Writing

14 /20

4,5

Rhetorical Knowledge

_7_/10

4,5

Knowledge of
Conventions

_6_/10

Presentation

8_/10

Process work is present demonstrating

student participation in brainstorming and
peer review process
Final draft shows evidence of revision
Includes rich, supporting details and
includes reflection and awareness
Purpose of narrative is clear, consideration
to audience is clear
Little to no issues in readability, clear
control over mechanics, grammar, and
usage
Clear and includes MLA formatting

* This assignment is worth 100 points.

Hi Student #2,
I enjoyed reading about the positive experiences you had with reading and writing. If you decide
to work further on this draft, do not be afraid to include moments and experiences that frustrated
you with literacy. A literacy narrative can be a healing experience, because it gives you space to
become self-aware, as well as to reflect on the underlying reasons for negative experiences. In
narrative writing, it is important to include vivid details; this draws the reader into your story. I
also encourage you to add more reflection on each of your experiences. For the reader, the
reflection gives them a glimpse of what you are thinking; it will also help you understand your
own experiences.
There are places in your writing where we need to work on grammar, mechanics, and readability.
I have noted a few places where there are conjunctions that join two independent sentences.
These are places where you would want to insert a comma. I challenge you to re-read your draft
to see if you can find anymore. Sometimes, it is helpful to read a draft out loud; this helps draw
attention to areas that are unclear, as well as to natural pauses that may need a comma.
As the semester continues, you will notice that I place a high value on process work.
Participating in process work, such as brainstorming and peer reviews are an easy way to
accumulate points for your grade. I appreciate that you contacted me regarding your inability to
participate in the peer review for this particular assignment. This paper has earned a grade of
70.5/100. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your paper, please make an
appointment during my office hours.