What do rubrics and cookies have in common? More than you would think. I really liked this lesson because it made me see how tricky rubrics can become. I thought I could describe the perfect cookie without tasting it. Reality is, there is more to a cookie than the way it looks. This simple fact made me realize that there is more to an essay than the way it looks.
Sometimes we have this cookie cutter mentality of our expectations of an assignment but I think the thing I am starting to realize is that we need to look beyond the form, especially when creating a rubric. I can read an amazing essay that seems to have all the pieces in place but the fact is it's really not good. Just like the cookie that won according to our rubric. It met all the requirements but it was the one cookie that I didn't even finish because it just wasn't good.
So, I'm left with questions... I feel like many of my classes have crossed at this point in the semester talking about rubrics. The opinions on rubrics seem split. Some teachers, including my cooperating teacher, find rubrics to be the way to go as far as grading is concerned. They provide a guide to grading, a simple checklist. But is it really that simple? I have had teachers who say they can't stand rubrics. There is no room for creativity, like with the Oreo. The Oreo won because it's totally awesome despite the fact that it wasn't a chocolate chip cookie. Now, I realize we need to have standards for our students' assignments but if they can provide me with a really good video instead of an essay is that really bad? I've always felt students should be able to display their knowledge in whatever way works for them. For some that is test taking, others writing, and so on... I feel that if students can show me they learned something then it shouldn't matter how they show it. This may seem unconventional or maybe unrealistic but I just hate that we need to put things in boxes, or neat little packages. I know some things need to be uniform, but can't we allow for creativity and how does that fit in with the rubric?
I honestly can't say that I end this post with a solid opinion one way or another. Fact is, I will have to use rubrics so I did a little research and found two articles to help me learn a little bit more. One also discusses rubrics as a way of backwards lesson planning...hmmm where have we heard that before?
Here are the links:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3200/CTCH.53.1.27-31
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct97/vol55/num02/What's-Wrong—and-What's-Right—with-Rubrics.aspx
While I was commenting on Ryan ' blog, I had the sudden realization that many of the rubrics that were used in my high school hardly required actual reading. Does the piece follow MLA format? Are their any spelling or grammatical mistakes? All of this took precedence to the actual assignment. Many of the rubrics were applied to a variety of assignments which made them very generalized.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, a rubric that is extremely specific would get you the desired answers but they would all be the same thing. I would rather give the students a little more leash to be creative. I do not want to read an essay about the same topic written exactly the same way. I would love to have an essay, picture, video, etc.. and be able to enjoy grading my work as students were able to enjoy making the work. I feel that if the students enjoy what they are doing they will learn more. So I am also on the fence do rubrics help or hurt an assignment.
ReplyDeleteHi Michele, it's always a pleasure to read your blog!
ReplyDelete"One also discusses rubrics as a way of backwards lesson planning...hmmm where have we heard that before?"
This past week or so I really find myself thinking backwards more and more. As a self proclaimed rubric-hater, I'm beginning to think they just need to be used properly. I'd like to determine acceptable evidence for what we actually want to asses and then make a rubric. If I'm assessing comprehension of a text, then maybe a video vs. an essay doesn't really matter. If I'm assessing for writing mechanics, then I need a written essay.
Rubrics are a tool in our bag or tricks.. or a trick in our box of tools! Erm... ahh, I guess what I mean is that they should be used thoughtfully and intentionally!
Michele,
ReplyDeleteI think what your saying is that you want to be able to provide students with as much creativity as possible when designing your rubric. Of course, if the opportunity for students to make a video over an essay is apropos to the assignment, by all means. I think that is an awesome idea on so many levels. But there are other ways for students to express there creativity, even in an essay. One of my main views on essay writing is that students should each provide their own individual voice, in their essay. All in all, maybe we should always go back and check our rubrics to make sure we provided students with a chance to be creative, in big ways, but also small ways as well.