5.22: Display of Anchor Papers
Main content start
In response to needs articulated by the AALT, Bill brings a display of anchor papers spanning grades K-5 that was developed at another GR school. The extensive work completed at one school becomes an aid to this school via the GR Consultant. The display, which is also contained in a binder that is available to each representative, provides a sense of "the continuum that's at play here." It provides for both students and teachers concrete examples of writing at different grades and proficiency levels. The segment ends with Bill's question: "Can you imagine writing anything if you never had a chance to look at an example?" In fact this is probably the norm; students are rarely given examples to help them improve their writing.
Bill At our last AALT meeting Diane Cady was saying, you know, I wish for this writing assessment that we could see like a display of the writing across the grade levels. As it turns out we have that display, you guys, and if it's not been something that's been brought to your attention, Larry has a binder. It looks like this, OK? and for each grade level-- if your grade level hasn't seen this and then it's just one of those things. For each grade level, like grade level 2, there's a packet of papers that show what does a four look like, what does a three look like, what does a two look like what does a one look like? This maybe be completely familiar to you, but at the same time at the last meeting we realized that some people didn't know about this resource, OK? T Anchor papers (?) Bill Anchor papers. Example papers. The other thing is then I took papers from those and we made a display so that you can see, well, here's kindergarten, here is what a four looks like, here's the criteria for the rubric, here's what a three looks like, here's what the two looks like, here is what a one looks like. And you can actually walk across and then see the same thing for 1st grade, four, three, two, one. 2nd grade, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade, so the people could get a sense of the continuum that's at play here. And also know that these exact examples are also contained within that binder, OK? so if you-- with your own grade level or maybe at a faculty meeting at the beginning of next year, you might want to display that in some way so people can see how that all works out. OK? T Also when we're grading our papers, it'd be nice if we each had like a reference. Bill That's right, that's right. One of the first things that you might do when you get into your scoring session at the beginning of next year is just take out the set of example papers and say, you guys, let's just look through some of these example papers and see if we all agree with the score that was given. It just primes the pump and gets people ready to score their own papers. T Yeah, I know what you're talking about, displaying and teaching your children what's expected of them. This is what a three looks like, and this is what you need to do if you want a three; this is what you need to do if you want a four (Ts: various comments; right, right). Right, and show then actual examples of it, so that they know what they look like. Bill For teachers scoring for kids to learn to write, seeing examples. Can you imagine writing anything if you never had a chance to look at an example?