How we teach writing at a project-based high school with a 1:1 laptop program.

1. Using Google
Docs to Improve
Student Wri7ng

2. What skills do you
want students to gain
from your wri7ng
assignments?

3. The Original Assignment
A 2Fer is a 2‐page analy0cal paper on any topic you choose. There
are four basic guidelines that must be followed:
1. The 2fer has a thesis statement that is unique, insighDul, and
debatable. It does not re‐state a commonly held belief or choose
sides in a worn‐out debate ‐‐ it reflects an observa0on and
conclusion you have come to on your own.
2. The 2fer uses at least two outside sources to support your
thesis, and cites them correctly.
3. The 2fer never uses the first or second person (“I” or “you.”)
4. The 2fer proves its thesis statement through the quality of
analysis and factual support, not raw force of opinion.

4. The Goals for 2Fers
Develop independent wri0ng skills,
prac0ce conven0ons of formal
wri0ng, build diversity of thesis
development, draO a formal paper
with liPle outside assistance.

5. The Original Rubric
(Categories and wording stolen from
Pennsylvania standardized tests)

6. The Original Sign‐Off Sheet
(In response to common errors and oversights)
(This is a lie. I required
one all the ?me.)

7. Our Hopes
Students would...
Build meaningful peer‐edi7ng rela7onships
with each other
Absorb feedback in each category and work to
improve in all of them
See the assignment as a year‐long,
individualized process

8. The Reality
OBen ?mes, students would instead...
Get superficial edi7ng, and some7mes even
ignore the edits when revising
Look only at the final grade on each 2Fer, then
forget about it / lose the paper
See the assignment as a year‐long pain in the
buP

9. The New
Plan

10. One Document, All Year

11. Space for draOs and final...
...accompanied by in‐class
edi7ng 7me.

12. Students Comment on DraO...
student
student
student
student
student

13. ...Teacher Comments on Final.
student

14. Slightly Re‐designed Rubric
Points earned
doesn’t get its own
box, is typed in at
the end of the
wri6en
commentary
No “Total Grade” sec?on
at the bo6om (which you
can’t see in this slide)

15. This essay was for a
“Media Cri?cism” 2Fer
assignment. It analyzed
a Garnier Fruc?s
shampoo commercial.
The “Content and
Development”
comment refers to a
quote that I also wrote
a s?cky‐note for in the
essay text.
As the year went on, I
found myself wri?ng
“see notes” in the
“Teacher Feedback”
sec?on more oPen.

16. Built‐in reflec7on space...
...which leads right into the
next assignment.

17. Grammar, re‐wri7ng, research...
...there were a lot of
possibili7es.

18. A place to celebrate success...
Some?mes I typed in
focus areas for them...
helpful, or controlling?
...and also set goals for the
next essay.

19. Good
Moments

20. Success!
Students have...
Stopped thinking about page length, and
started thinking about adequate support
ShiOed their focus from overall grade to the
feedback (and grade) for each category
GoPen more feedback and edits from peers,
and recognized paPerns and issues faster

21. Student X
Student X
Student X
student
student
student
Excellent.

22. Student X
Student X
Student X
student
student
student
Excellent.
Essays that do not
meet the four basic
requirements get
“bounced back” to
the author for
revision.

23. Before Google Docs, if I wanted to
“bounce back” a paper, I had to
track down the student and make
sure I had the paper in hand.
Now I know at a glance
who needs more work,
and I e‐mail them right
away.

24. Mid‐Year 2Fer: Reflec7ve 2Fer
Your task this week is to write a 2Fer analyzing... your
own 2Fer wri0ng! The goal is to figure out HOW you can
improve your wri0ng, so your thesis statement should
analyze a weakness in your composi0on.
Consider zooming in on one or two of the following focus
areas: Thesis/Focus, Content/Development,
Organiza7on, Style, and Conven7ons.
For your outside sources, you will quote: your OWN
work, comments by Ms. Pahomov and peer editors, and
your follow up assignments.

25. “OMG! I’m making the mistake while I
write about it!”

26. Student Feedback...
The peer edi tor usually
ows us thing s we miss, I use to hate 2Fe
sh rs, because
w hich is nice. I never understo
od what the
purpose for this
was. Now,
I’m glad that thi
s happens,
The co because it make
mmen s wri0ng a
conne ts are paper so easy...
cted b easily when I go to
are hig ecaus college, it won’t
hlighte e they be so
2fer its d with difficult.
elf. Th in the
correc is mad
ting an e
the 2fe d anal
r much yzing
easier
.

27. Ongoing challenges...
Students also have...
Missed the Friday morning deadline, and then
been dead weight during peer edi7ng 7me
Struggled with the techy‐ness of using Google
Docs (slow log‐ins, broken computers, etc.)
Ignored the follow‐up ac7vity and goal sebng
aOer gebng their grade

28. Next Steps