English Journal - Alternative Assessment, Jan 1997

Discusses having students dig deep into a novel to create material that demonstrates their understanding of the characters; and having students illustrate their understanding of poetry by the way they read it, by the music they select to have in the background, and by the connecting commentary that links poems together. Provides sample rubrics to be used in determining grades.

Weaves descriptions of 16 novels by Virginia Hamilton into an account of young adult literature that can be used to make effective connections across the disciplines.

Details the history of California’s experience with large-scale writing assessment. Describes the introduction, development, and scoring of the California Assessment Program, later renamed the California Learning Assessment System (CLAS). Discusses controversies over removal of certain writing prompts and objections to CLAS. Notes that funding for CLAS was vetoed in 1994.

Discusses the four-week summer Memphis (Tennessee) Urban Writing Institute, during which a furor erupted over the dilemma of grading. Provide a number of approaches to grading students’ writing, including minimalist grading, cassette grading, collaborative grading, and portfolio grading. Suggests that teachers consider the grading dilemma and become agents for change.

Presents an English teacher’s irreverent look at grades and grading. Argues that learning must somehow be linked to a product, which must be measured or graded to gauge the worth of the product according to the merit it deserves.

Details how exhibitions of mastery can be implemented in English classrooms. Discusses what exhibitions of mastery are, implementation of exhibitions, creation of new knowledge, and assessment.

Describes development of a rubric for assessing class discussion. Discusses procedures, student roles, and assessment in a “scored discussion.” Notes that students find the process to be both demanding and informing. Details the history of California’s experience with large-scale writing assessment.

Discusses uses learning logs for student assessment. Defines learning logs. Discusses structuring the logs; student voices and responses; a map drawing assignment; and using logs for evaluation.

Rejects grading student journals. Describes various approaches to journal writing evaluation the author used with her students and approaches used by her professors when she returned to school. Questions the educational process of grading student journals. Discusses how to create real dialog.

Discusses a teacher’s reactions when a student commented on the teacher’s short story. Discusses dealing with feedback, the vulnerability of writers, and attitude changes. Claims that writing with students shifted the focus of the teacher’s writing instruction and the focus of students’ writing.

Describes how to create a rubric for portfolios which includes quantity and quality. Presents suggestions for implementing a two-tiered portfolio rubric.

Claims that asking students to evaluate their own reading and writing encourages more authentic assessment. Discusses guiding reflection in writing and reading workshops, and teacher responsibility for grading. Presents student comments that show students are able to self-evaluate and improve their efforts to justify higher ratings.

Discusses a collaborative writing project where all students, regardless of ability, can demonstrate their understanding of Homer’s “Odyssey” by writing a contemporary odyssey. Notes that students eagerly awaited and then read the final compilation of the project.