Holistic Essay evaluation vs. checking the boxes

With AP’s changes to Language & Composition this last fall and to the rubrics, I've decided to GO BACK to my old faithful: my 1-9. HOLISTIC and student-friendly rubrics (that correlated to 100-, 50-, and 25-point scales already, which made the conversion to the new CER format SO easy to begin with) and have already saved my ESSAY EVALUATION SANITY each year! Those rubrics were both student-friendly and teacher-friendly and use skills-based language that allow everyone to focus on . . . wait for it: WRITING.

I also used those rubrics in conjunction with my essay evaluation comment sheets to lighten the ink that I put on student papers, to continue to give specific and effective feedback, and to shorten the response time for that feedback. And when it came time to REALLY DIG IN with students and ANALYZE writing, we got down and dirty with our ROUND-ROBIN READING EVALUATION (nearly ready for release)!! Yes. I know. It is all so powerful.

Students would come to class EARLY. Their eyes would scan the board. A quick visual check of each items on the list, and papers came flinging out of folders, binders, backpacks. Chromebooks were unplugged, rebooted, and electronic handouts were accessed. The typical excitement ensued over color bursts of sticky notes and highlighters and pens. Doodling, color, putting marks on paper, and appreciating the very texture of pen and ink on a surface in addition to the messages conveyed along with the style conveyed through writing . . . mmmmmmmmmm . . .mmmmm. We were huuuu--uuuu--uunggrrryyy.  

• Appropriate assignment rubric
• Holistic or new CER (or both) or student evaluation checklist handouts
• Vary Your Verbs & Sentence Structure & Theme and Thematic Category handout
• AP Essay, Synthesis, Language (Rhetorical) Analysis, Argument Structure Strategy handout
• Primary Rhetorical Features & Effects if applicable
• Appropriate essay Evaluation Comment Sheet handouts (for synthesis, argument, or language analysis) because students should be working towards becoming independent and critical evaluators of their own and others’ writing as well
• Prompt or writing assignment 
• Two (or more) pieces of writing (distributed later)
• Sticky notes (if necessary)
• Multiple pen colors (No student within the small group should have the same color.)

                         This year, all of that changes.

                         Too many papers.

                         NO problem.
                         ​
                         We'll go electronic.

                         Rubrics.

                         UGH! 

                         No.

                         This year I will not attempt to decode new rubrics with students. This year . . .  

                         So this year,  I am going to quit worrying about the darn style point.

                         ​If we actually teach writing, then students learn to write.

I have taught AP Language for 18 years now, seventeen of which I have used some form of my holistic rubrics found free this week on the ATELIER page, by the way. And for this year, at least, THIS is the language--the description--I will continue to use with my students.

I expect there will be a place for AP's new rubrics in the mix somewhere; however, there's already TOO much. And students need skills. And I want to ensure that development. 

Don't forget to hop on over to the ATELIER to download your free copy! And definitely click and share some snaps of this rubric in action! Or share some comments below! I would really like to know how this works out for you and how you've chosen to use it with your students! You might even want to cruise over to COLLABORATE & CREATE in the ATELIER to start working on some new things together! 

We'll talk soon!
Dea

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