Prof:
"Thank you for your attempt at trying to re-write the paper. I am noticing some major flaws still in the writing. It looks as though we are experiencing issues in paragraph formation. I want you to make an appointment with the writing studio so that you can really learn how to build solid paragraphs. At present, I cannot pass the paper because of its readability.
Grade 50"
Student Reaction:
"I did everything you asked for and it still not good enough for you. I do not understand. I see the makes I made. My mistakes were not worth a 50 on my paper. I deserved a better grade than F."
Monday, March 18, 2013
I deserve better than an F!
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1 comment:
As a writing instructor I'm learning that sometimes we have to just focus on a few primary issues to see if the student can make incremental improvement. Identify one or two things they consistently do wrong and hammer those few things until they get it. Let the next writing instructor handle the other issues with the same approach. Rome wasn't built in a day and student writing certainly won't improve over night (we know this all too well). Make it clear to them that there are MANY other issues, but right now we're just going to focus on the biggest problem and work our way down to the most insignificant ones. That will allow you to change your grading strategy as well because you can then start to look at progress differently. It will also leave the student's morale in tact, which is important because if they feel they can't do it, they will give up and NEVER make any progress. Basically, individualize the assessment and set the bar a little lower. *shrug*
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