Rubrics: Clear Goals, Confident Kids

In what feels like another lifetime ago, I taught writing to middle schools age children.

It quickly because apparent to me that evaluating writing can be very subjective unless there are guidelines set up before the student ever puts pen to paper.

I created rubrics, before they were a “thing” because I wanted my students to know exactly what I was looking for in their writing and so they could choose to succeed, not guess for a grade.

What is a rubric?

A rubric is a scoring tool or set of guidelines used to evaluate the quality of work or a performance in an objective manner. 

How can a rubric be used?

It can be used in different ways.

I like to give the student the rubric, which clearly states what I am evaluating for and how.
The rubric is given at the same time that the student gets the assignment.

This leads the student naturally to self assess their own work.

They will begin creating, and I am going to use a writing example, and see the first thing they need is an introduction of one sentence that clearly states to the reader what the paragraph will be about.

Now the student will go back to their introduction and make certain they have one complete sentence and it tells me (the reader) what I will be learning about in that paragraph.

This is a total win!

I would recommend creating a rubric anytime you have a “gray” area in assessment.

This way you will take any subjectivity out of the evaluation and the child will know what you are placing the higher priorities on. 

Here are some ideas:

• Art
• Musical Performance
• Oral Presentation
• Major Projects
• Writing Assignments
• Participation (like discussion)
• Portfolios

What is the purpose of a rubric?

A rubric can serve many purposes.For me, in a Language Arts classroom, it made a possibly subjective grading system objective.

It empowers students to self-assess their own projects.

They can look at the rubric, look at their work, and say, “I am going to be graded on this, did I include it?”

This leads to total self assessment and the ability to self critique their works and independence.

It also gives your child the power to decide what they want to score on their assignments.

I believe this gives children a sense of self esteem and confidence as well.

My students knew they could do the work, and they had a roadmap for how.

A rubric also provides clarity for both you and your student in what you are actually learning from the assignment. This could be very enlightening for you both; are you prioritizing punctuation? Grammar?

If you are homeschooling, a rubric is fabulous for ending any strife over assessment.

How do I make a rubric?

There are different kinds of rubrics.

You can see many of them as well as make a customized one on Canva.

A rubric came with the standardized writing portion of the test that the kids had to take nationally in 6th grade, 25 years ago.

I have no idea if they still have this test or use the same rubric.

However, the rubric is awful.

You can not find it online.

The teachers did not get it in advance, so we could not go over what the expectations would be for the writing assignment.

There was one portion in the rubric, called “Voice” and the student scored 1-5 on it.

I do not remember clear delineation or description for what “voice” meant according to the rubric.

If I could not figure it out, I have no idea how my students scored either high or low in this category.

I always felt like the committee who put this together added this very category so that people reviewing the test could give “freebie” points to papers they “just liked” better.

This is exactly the wrong way to make a rubric!

I created a rubric for writing paragraphs for 2nd/3rd graders, be sure to grab that below!

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What you want to include in your rubric is:

• Criteria: which skills will be evaluated?
• Point Value: if you have different level skills, be sure to have them represented by point value, levels, or categories or importance.
• Description: you should have clear and concise explanations for what is expected at each level and for each skill or criteria.

You should be able to assess the work, give a score, and then show your child.

The child should then be able to see exactly where they gained points or lost points.

*Special note: If your child did not score as high as they would like on their rubric, knows why, and would like to try again, I would definitely allow them!

Learning does not have to take place on a linear timeline.

What are some common mistakes to avoid?

When creating or evaluating a rubric, it’s important to avoid these common mistakes:

1. Not providing enough detail

2. Being too lenient or strict

3. Failing to use consistent language

4. Neglecting to review the rubric regularly 

5. Vague or ambiguous language (Example: write a good sentence)

6. Placing too much importance on the wrong priority (50 points for punctuation and grammar and 10 points for each of the sentences: Introduction, Reason #1, Reason #2, Reason #3, and Conclusion) This would mean in a writing assignment I am giving equal value to something a computer can fix for the student as I am to their actual writing and forming of quality sentences.

How can a rubric build student confidence?

Effective rubrics should prompt students to reflect on their learning process.

They will look at what is working, what is not, and usually, rafter the assessment, want to redo the work.

This reflection helps your child recognize how they learn best and which strategies they can utilize to improve, which helps them develop meta cognition skills.

Students also develop a sense of ownership and responsibility when they understand how their work is being evaluated.

Rubrics enable students to identify their goals and set realistic targets for themselves.

As they see complex tasks being broken down into manageable components, they are able to focus on making improvements and being successful.

These wins boost their confidence.

By embracing the power of rubrics, homeschoolers can enhance communication, build confidence, and help students succeed in their studies.

Rubrics help you to break free from traditional assessment methods to help promote a love of learning and encourage your child to evaluate their own work.

Kids’ Movie Quote:
“You will be facing Professor McGonagall in a moment. She’s going to ask you about your grades.”
– Hermione Granger in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets