Rethinking Writing Rubrics

Maja Wilson, author of Rethinking Rubrics in Writing Assessment speaks about how uniform rubrics can be. As we talked about in class, rubrics can often hinder learning and leave the students with a unclear assessment of their work. Wilson speaks of how Diederich sought for one way to assess student writing, and how this is now used to conform student writing. Wilson believes that rubrics are a tool that keeps the supposed "bad" students out of colleges, do you agree with this idea? She also states that an original and good piece of writing can upset a rubric, what do you think should be done to ensure that this doesn't happen? Do you think that teachers can use rubrics in tandem with their own commentary? I believe that although Wilson does not like rubrics, they can e used effectively in the classroom. Rubrics can be used as a guide for students on teacher expectations, but Wilson does not give the impression this happens. Do you think that future teachers should be educated in both the successes and failures of rubrics?

Reading Wars

The way that reading is being taught in classrooms has been a topic for debate for countless years. Teachers and policy makers call this the "Reading War", and this war is between those who endorse using phonics and those who promote whole language learning. Both sides of the argument state that their way of learning is "the key to effectively teaching all children to read". This war on teaching methods does nothing to help the teachers and students, and it has become a game of politics. The article "Reading Wars", states that although both sides believe in their cause, "There is virtually no disagreement, though, "that reading is the gateway to learning in all content areas and essential for achieving high standards," as stated in the National Education Association's official reading policy."

According to the article, which can be read here, a complete reading program should be approached like a well-balanced diet. It states that a "Completeness in both diet and reading," said the Task Force, "is achieved by providing diverse components in ratios that are not necessarily equal. In addition, the ratios might vary with individual needs and with development." I thought that this was an interesting analogy, and by providing diversity, students will achieve more. I also think that by promoting balance, students will be encouraged to read more and to think critically about what they read. However, getting the student reading in the first place is the most important thing. After looking at the phonics vs. whole language, what has your experience been with them? Which one do you think is a more helpful learning tool, and what do you plan to use in your own classroom? Lastly, what do you think about keeping a complete reading program balanced? Do you think that reading programs should be standardized or catered to individual students?