JOANNE
PAYLING
Diary #27
New
Confidence and a
New Dedication to My Goal!
What a fun and affirming week this was. I never thought I could say that about reading close to 200 essays in two days; however, the experience was exceptional.
All of the district 8th grade Language Arts teachers gathered on Wednesday and Thursday to score the District Writing Proficiency essays. There were about eight of us plus two administrators guiding and reading with us.
There are several reasons these two days were remarkable for me. For the first time, I felt like I truly belonged, that I was a contributing member of a team, and not just the newbie sitting on the sidelines drinking in all the wisdom of more experienced teachers.
How we did it
The first thing we did Wednesday morning was discuss the six-point rubric. Anne, our district advisor and leader, made certain we understood the difference between a 6: Extraordinary, 5: Excellent, 4: Good, 3: Adequate, 2: Inadequate and 1: Poor. All of us had used this rubric in our classrooms and felt comfortable with it, but the discussion relieved some of my stress on whether I had been applying it appropriately. I was also able to ask intelligent questions and add some little insight into different writing styles. It felt good to contribute equally.
Next, we scored anchor papers from which we could gauge all the other essays. We read several pre-selected essays, then, based on the six-point rubric, we went round the circle stating what score we gave them.
I was nervous at first, in case my ratings on these samples were totally off-base. What if I read and assessed differently than the others, the teachers with years of experience doing this? What relief I felt when, time after time, my numbers matched the majority. When there were wide discrepancies of ratings, there were always at least two others who had scored the same as I had. I knew what I was doing! Fear left my mind, and an assurance that I was on target replaced that nullifying emotion.
Built into this grading system was added corroboration. Any paper that one teacher rated as a 3 or below on the rubric required a second reading. In fact, we were directed to ask another teacher to read any paper whose score we weren't confidant about. Thus, if we couldn't decide between assigning a 4 or a 5, etc., we placed it in a pile for a second opinion. This back-up review was wonderful. When in question, our students would receive two expert readings, not just one. And, sure enough, all of us regularly placed essays in the second opinion pile. Again, this served as an affirmation that I knew what I was doing.
Reading the student work of other teachers helps
Hours and hours were spent reading, marking, and at times discussing student work. That alone was a rewarding experience. We each had a stack of essays in front of us, marked only by codes for student name, school, and teacher. Since all the essays had been mixed together, we were, in essence, grading anonymous papers.
I loved this. Reading essays of other teachers' students illustrated to me that my students made the same mistakes as other students in the district. It also showed me that the areas I stressed in teaching are the areas that the others had stressed also. In essay after essay, our students included strong opening "hooks" to grab reader attention as well as providing direct quotes and personal reflections on the subject. Again, I was doing my job correctly.
As might be expected, the majority of the essays fell into the 4 or "Good" range. We worried over every adequate 3 or poor 2 paper, and rejoiced over the excellent 5 essays. The extraordinary 6 essays were few and far between. I only read one. However, what a one! I had been resolutely working my way through a large pile of 4's. They were better than adequate, but just not good enough to be considered excellent. I marked the cover sheet for the areas of weakness and hoped the student would learn from both his strengths and weaknesses.
The excitement of a 6! And it's one of mine!
Finally, around 2 p.m. on Thursday, I started reading the next paper in the dwindling stack. I immediately knew it was better than a 4. As I kept reading, I knew it was at least a high 5. By the end of the essay, when tears sprang to my eyes and I got goose bumps, it dawned on me that I had just finished an extraordinary essay. It was moving, expertly crafted, succinct, and beautifully reflective. Some student, I didn't know who, had written a 6 essay.
Any 6 paper immediately is shared to unequivocally confirm that highest rating. Then, if another teacher agrees, everyone wants to read it, simply because it is so extraordinary. Everyone who read it agreed. It was a resounding 6. Cengiz, our Director of Assessment and Evaluation, who had also been reading and grading, read the essay, agreed, and left to find out which of our students had written this fine piece of work.
When he returned, he was literally dancing with delight. He informed me that it was one of my 4th period students. One of my students! I was delighted. Stunned, even. But 4th period? Hmmmmm, who could it be?
My mind raced through the possibilities. Cengiz wanted me to guess, but my mind was blank. One student's name came to mind, but he was too rambling to have written something as clear and concise as this essay. Finally Cengiz told me the name, and sure enough, it was the student I had considered, but rejected. James had done it! He had lived up to his potential and managed to write the way the prompt dictated, and with grace and cogency! I grinned from ear to ear.
This was the break all of us needed at the end of two long days of reading and grading. There were several other 6 essays, and we all wondered if there was a way to share one of these districtwide. Cengiz quickly called and reserved a place in the next district newsletter that goes out to all parents and district employees. On Monday we will vote on which essay we believe is the best of the best, and then we will ask the student and parents for permission to print it. What a resounding endorsement of all the focused and exemplary work we teachers and students have gone through. This week was such a pleasurable and positive experience for me. There are a hundred different ways a new teacher feels inadequate and unprepared. In two days, I have managed to regain the confidence I need to keep pressing forward for my goal of being a 5 or even a 6 teacher, rather than the 3 or 4 I fear I am much of the time.
