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Academic Writing
The Writing Center helped the English Department to facilitate our Writing Standards by Grade Level. We work toward these standards in courses all year long. We are convinced that if students attain the writing standard for their particular grade level, upon graduation, they will be ready for the writing required by colleges and universities. You may access our Writing Standards by clicking on this link. Writing Standards
During the fourth quarter of each school year, we administer the Writing Standards Examination. This enables us, as teachers, to assess how well our students are progressing in writing each year.
Each grade-level English course at Carroll requires specific writing assignments each quarter, which are tied to that year’s standards.
Because we believe that writing is a process, we seek to utilize a four-step process in the teaching of writing in all our courses. Good writing begins with pre-writing. This includes some manner of outlining, brainstorming, planning. It continues with the creation of a rough draft. This is the writer’s first attempt at forming ideas into paragraphs. This rough draft is then peer-edited. To help students internalize editing skills, learning to edit others’ work is an important step. Once student writing has been edited, it is ready to be revised further into a final copy. These four steps: Prewriting, Rough Draft, Peer Editing, Final Copy make up the path to good writing. More information about the Four-Step Writing Process is available at this link. Writing Process
Kris Joseph '08 works on an essay
Tutoring
Many students’ writing improves with some basic tutoring and extra help. Students can receive this assistance after school most days in the Writing Center. If a student commits to work on her or his writing at least one day a week, that student becomes a member of the Independent Writer’s Group. These students come to the Writing Center, on their chosen day, retrieve their file and go to work on various assignments which are specifically geared to their writing needs. Mr. Ross tutors, observes, and instructs these students daily after school.
Writing Standards Examination
At the beginning and end of each school year, Carroll students complete a Writing Standards Examination. In the beginning of each year, this assignment serves as a diagnosis, to let student, family, and teacher know the level of a student’s writing skills. At the end of the school year, the Writing Standards Examination marks a student’s progress toward the goals of Carroll’s Writing Standards by Grade Level. The Writing Standards Examinations are scored according to a rubric built on the Standards for each grade level. You can review the rubrics by clicking on this link. WSE 9-12 Rubrics
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