Relevant Read / Feedback First

Zerwin's from-the-trenches perspective makes the book a helpful guide for teachers. She shares tools she's developed over the years of getting to "pointlessness," plus samples of student writing with explanations of which feedback moves she used to help a particular student improve.

Each chapter includes tip-rich sidebars on "Navigating Obstacles," including how to meet requirements like using electronic gradebooks without relying solely on points. Zerwin's savvy enough to admit that some obstacles came from students themselves, who weren't always comfortable with abandoning points. For instance, when Zerwin urged students to do more drafts so she could give more low-stakes feedback before the final was due, students cut corners, trying to make it look like they'd written a revised draft when they'd only corrected a few tiny things.

Zerwin shows that moving to lower-stakes evaluation takes persistence. She explains how students need guidance to embark on an authentic learning-to-write odyssey—and what skills students must develop to work well in an ungraded environment.

It's not just setting up a system of evaluating papers sans points. It's sticking with kids as they adjust to the demands of becoming writers rather than chasing As.

—Naomi Thiers