Writers Reflect, Make Improvements, and Receive Feedback

Third grader writers have been working hard at writing real true stories.  They have been working at using a storyteller's voice and being sure to tell the story bit by bit.

This week we looked back at our best stories and used our writing checklist to reflect on what is going well and where we can make improvements.

Later we went back to our drafts to revise and improve.  

This is the narrative checklist that 3rd grade writers are using.

 Writers are also receiving feedback from one another during our share sessions and in teacher conferences.

In our sharing sessions, students elect to share completed or in process pieces with the group.  Students ask questions of the writer and share compliments ("I like how you described the ice cream cone..." or "I could really hear you yelling at your little brother in your dialogue!").

In our conferences, the teacher shares a compliment with the student to reaffirm what the writer is doing well.  ("I really like the way you ended this story.  It was funny and surprising.  This will really stick with the reader and a lot of writers like to end stories like this.")

Then the teacher offers a suggestion that could help improve this piece and future pieces of writing. ("I think if you added dialogue to your story, it would really help the reader feel like he was right there with you when your dad was teaching you to float on your back.")
 

A student narrative with some feedback from the group on a sticky note.