Kiera Burnett

Tch_Lrn 322
September 29, 2015
Assessment of Student Writing Reflection
This project provided me with valuable insights into the assessment process. Working
collaboratively with a peer to grade samples of writing showed me the variety of standards for
grading. Additionally, by grading a piece of writing using the six traits, I was able to recognize a
students strengths and weaknesses in individual areas without getting stuck on conventions. This
project forced me to take time to really read the students writing and appreciate the time it takes
to grade writing well.
Amber and I completed this project in a multi-step process. We began by reading the
samples individually and scoring each of them on the six traits. This allowed us to think on our
own first so that our ideas were not skewed by one another. Next, we briefly discussed the pieces
and ordered them overall. I found this step difficult because the traits I valued the most (voice
and word choice) were not necessarily the traits Amber noticed. We then read each piece out loud
and analyzed them based on the six traits, one sample at a time. We copied the teacher writing
guides from pages 13 and 14 of Spandels Creating Writers to guide this step. By making copies
of the rubric, we were able to discuss what which bullets applied to the writing for each trait.
This was a good way to determine the number grade we assigned to students because we began
with the explanation for a grade not the number. After deciding on a grade for a trait, we
discussed what would be most important to share with the student and wrote this in our

conversation with student column. Assessing writing trait-by-trait allowed us to focus in on the
features of the writing.
I learned a lot about my own grading tendencies when completing this assignment. When
I did my individual grading, I assessed the traits in the order they were written, starting with
ideas and ending with conventions/presentation. After deciding on final scores, I noticed that my
original grades and the ones we decided on varied a decent amount. A portion of this was
collaborating with Amber. She often pointed out strengths or weaknesses that I had missed.
Another cause of this discrepancy, however, was the order we graded the traits in. In the sample
about stage fright, my overall scoring for each trait was much lower in the first reading. When
Amber and I read it together, we decided to grade conventions/presentation and sentence fluency
first because they were the most distracting. By doing so, this weakness did not influence my
grading for the rest of the piece.
Another important consideration was the mood I graded pieces in. My mood remained
consistent throughout the grading process, but Ambers did not. When she first graded, she was
quite grumpy, causing her to give students a lower score. Before we graded together, she decided
to go back and reassess pieces because she noticed this skew. It is important to think about how
our moods may affect the way we score pieces, whether the mood be happy, sad, or indifferent.
This project was useful because it gave me insight into my own grading tendencies.
Working with a peer also allowed me to moderate my own grading and discuss ideas. I could see
this practice of collaboration being useful if I ever did a grade-wide assessment. I now better
understand the importance of knowing myself as a grader and looking at individual traits to
recognize both student strengths and weaknesses when grading.