Recently, I shared some student writing being done on Google docs with a colleague. I was excited about the way students were sharing their work and using the comment features to provide peer review and feedback. My colleague asked me why I was so animated about this. He reminded me that teachers have been creating structures for students to share their writing and receive peer feedback for years. Using Google docs for this process, I explained, was far superior to the peer feedback systems of old. Through the use of Google docs, students simply “share” their document electronically. Pieces are shared across students in the blink of an eye. The feedback given to the writing piece is tracked along the side of the document and creates an electronic paper trail of comments made on the piece. Thus, the author receives a tremendous amount of feedback that is located in one place for re-reading and reflection. The author can respond to the feedback as well. This results in an academic conversation about the writing. And all of this can occur during class, after class, from home, or anywhere where students have internet access. In the pieces I was sharing with my colleague, I was impressed with the quality of the feedback. It was clear these students have published a great deal of writing and have closely studied what makes for quality writing. Way to go, Walton Wildcats!

Mrs. Dwier-Selden

Walton is excited to have had 2 authors visit as part of the Virginia Festival of the Book, A.B. Westrick, the author of Brotherhood, and Debbie Levy the author of A Year of Goodbyes. Walton students were a great audience and enjoyed learning how books are published and where the ideas come from when writing a book.