Dilemmas in Assessment of Student Writing :: English Writing Teacher Student

Being a new teacher of English, I find the estimation of compositions to be a concept I question and struggle with on a regular base. Having consulted several colleagues, teachs, administrators, and fellow graduate students, I work come to the conclusion that there is no easy answer to this thudding yet ever important question. While there are numerous inlets and outlets to this dilemma, for the sake of time I will touch on still three. While all three are very divergent in terms of concepts, rituals, and conducts, they all come together to one common destruction - helping students express themselves in terms of writing.SubjectivityWhile sound judgement can give students, parents, and administrators a view of where a student stands in terms of achievement, one must always remember that the coterie is subjective. thither is no right or wrong answer in English, as there is in math or other quantitative areas of study. The basis of a grade depends upon a students ability to conduct a course of thought and convey it accurately and convincingly in written form. The subjectivity falls in how the teacher interprets or responds to the ideas and supporting(a) information. For example, during my first venture as a student teacher, I was disposed the task of grading free choice essays. The students were minded(p) free get of the subject matter, and were told to write an insightful and poignant essay on the offspring of their choice. After grading the papers, my mentor sat with me and we discussed some of the grades I had given for several of the students papers. Upon glancing briefly at the comments I had made and the grades I had given, my mentor began asking direct questions as to why I would grade trusted papers one way, but would assign a different grade to others that were quite similar. As she went on to read through other papers, she would barrack with some of my grades, but strongly disagree with others. I found this kindle because, while we we re both reading the same essays, we were focusing on different points or concepts, which shaded our perception of the piece as a whole.In retrospect, I believe that afternoon spent rereading essays with my mentor was one of the best program line practices that I have come across. Once in a while, teachers postulate to refocus their grading instincts by, in effect, orally defending their stance on grading policies.