Writing: seeking feedback

Third grade is a big shift in writing. Previously children have worked very hard to write stories to their completion and then go back to edit for the technical mechanics and perhaps on occasion changing an idea or two. I third grade, it is really the fist time we have the expectation to seriously plan before we write, give it a shot with our first draft and then, no matter how good our first efforts were, we set out to make our good writing even better. We go back to edit and re-edit the content of our work before we even think about making a final copy. It is the first time that this way of working becomes the expectation rather than the occasional exception.

As you might imagine, it is very difficult work. At the beginning of the year they all look at me as if I'm the worst thing that ever happened to them. But, inevitably, over time there is a shift. As different children buy into the process, they recognize the quality that comes to their work. It is not uncommon to be conferencing with someone, helping them determine where or how they might improve and seeing pure frustration on their faces. With a bit of encouragement and a lot of holding them to it, they reluctantly set out to do the hard work. But almost without question, the next time we meet they can't wait to read me the changes they made. At the end they are beaming from ear to ear and running new ideas by me for additional changes. While I'm usually the one to help initiate the process, I try my best to begin to point the children towards their peers. "Test our your story on your friend and see what they think. Does it make sense?" I encourage them to ask their peer to listen for a specific thing they want feedback on. "Does my solution make sense or does it seem too out of the blue?" or "Do I have too much dialogue?"

This past week I've been able to tell that the shift is official this year. The children are passionate about sharing their work. They are willing to look at their own work critically. Looking for things to add and things to cut out without my input.  They are willing to start a story completely over again if enough of it is not working. The children are also getting really good at listening with a critical BUT SUPPROTIVE ear. They find ways to give advice in a way that inspires rather than threatens. I like to imagine all the future business meetings they will be sitting in where these skills of giving and taking constructive feedback will be a real asset.

And so, once again, I get to remember that the discomfort they feel at the beginning of the year will inevitably disappear. The push into the unknown is worth it. I just have to get them a little taste of success in order to propel them forward. Soon enough they are insatiable, unstoppable. Learning IS fun.

A large group of students elect to meet together to read their stories aloud and provide feedback during our writing time.

After the session was complete, one student commented, "That was so useful! I didn't get to read my story, but I got so many ideas from that conference about what to do in my story. It just got me thinking!"