Tracking Student Writing Experiences

Even if your state's "big test" is behind you, the concepts and skills it assesses on the exam should be a part of your year-long teaching. The prompt portion, or what some call “on-demand writing,” should not go by the wayside. As teachers of writers, consider maintaining a tally sheet of the various writing opportunities you give students all year long. Consider tracking the following three areas:

TOPICS: Assigned topics vs. Free-choice writing opportunities

WRITING PROCESS: First-drafts vs. Final-drafts (revised/edited)

TIME FRAME: One-sitting writing vs. long-term writing deadlines
Download the tracking form from this page and tape it to your desk corner. (So you can find it every day!) Our goal is to build strong, independent writers who can work in any writing scenario. By monitoring a balance, you will be sure to give your students a multitude of writing experiences.