On Grading Your Writing

The way I approach grading essays is probably very unlike anything you've experienced before.

My main goal is to see that you are able to write proficiently in each of the six-traits (ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions). As a result, I am using a rubric that gives you a score for each of the traits, which gives you the ability to recognize both your strengths and weaknesses as a writer. This way, you can decide where to focus your energies when re-writing.

Also, I do not expect multiple draft writing projects. If you can write a first draft that meets the required score (an average of a 4 on the 6-point, 6-trait rubric), you do not need to re-write. You can choose to re-write, though, if your score is not to your liking. This puts you in the driver's seat -- provided you do your work -- and makes writing a realistic task that puts quality at a premium over quantity.

Remember: if you turn in an essay on-time, you can revise as many times as you need to achieve the score you desire. This means, though, that you have to stay on top of things, and make sure you get those revisions to me so a grade can be inputed in the gradebook.