Chapter 10

This chapter brought up many points that, as a future educator, I have thought about or need to think about a lot more. The first that jumped out at me is the difference between assessment and evaluation. We have learned these textbook definitions in our education classes, but I find that the refresher on the meaning of the words is useful to begin this chapter. The idea that writing teachers "have a much harder job than any of their colleagues when it comes to evaluation...it is more difficult(Kindle, p6529)" rings true to me. Math, science, and history are held up to objective standards that cannot be deviated from. However, "with writing, the situation is significantly different..evaluation involves comparison on two levels: the standard set by other students in the class and by some pre-established standard of good writing(Kindle, p6535)" This has me wondering: WHERE does this pre-established standard of "good writing" comes from? After viewing my classmates rubrics and seeing how everyone, basically, has dissimilar ideas of what constitutes "good writing", it seems almost impossible to agree on ANYTHING.
However, later in the text, Williams mentions having students create a rubric of their own. "This procedure helps students to feel that the rubric is theirs, that it reflects their views on what successful responses will look like. The empowerment that comes from this procedure is highly beneficial to students and their progress as writers(Kindle, p7086)". The empowerment the students feel, I believe, makes them more passionate about their own writing, as well as more successful within their writing.
One thing that is ONCE AGAIN mentioned in Williams is the fact that teachers have such a heavy student load that they do not have time "to conduct numerous conferences(Kindle, p6664)" Unfortunately, in certain schools this is true. With so many students to tend to, one on one time is next to impossible ALL THE TIME. However, in the middle school I am observing in, when the teacher has too many students to conference with, she employs peer conferencing. It is interesting watching the students working together, because each student is learning from the other. Each is nervous and leery of sharing their thoughts and opinions, yet they grow from the experience. Overall, this chapter was very beneficial to me!