BCH+Continuum+With+Exemplars

BCH Writing Continuum With a strong movement towards SBRC (Standards Based Report Cards) happening in the states and international schools worldwide and the developing expectation that all students should/ will be able to meet the grade level standards, many places have left the idea of the continuum behind. But even Tom Guskey a leader world-wide in evolving teaching and reporting practices has supported the continued use of a continuum to share growth and report to parents where the student began and where are they now, because beyond wanting to know if a child is meeting a standard; students, parents, and teachers need to recognize and celebrate growth. This is exactly what the BCH Writing continuum was designed to do--recognize and celebrate growth and development.

"Bonnie Campbell-Hill’s Writing Continuum is a fantastic resource for informing teaching and learning. When used on a regular basis it is extremely powerful."~Sam Sheratt NIST BLOG

Below you will find anchor exemplar papers that were collected and moderated by participants of the literacy cohort. Schools are encouraged to have moderating discussions and develop anchor papers to match the continuum in their own schools. However these exemplars were collected and moderated by a group of literacy leaders (yes, we are literacy leaders) from about 20 different international schools using BCH's writing continuum. The continuum without anchor papers and moderation becomes ineffective.

A common misuse of the continuum is handing it to teachers without having moderating discussions to develop and establish anchor papers as a necessary resource to support assessing with a continuum. When the continuum is not supported by established anchor papers and moderated well it becomes ineffective because of inconsistency in interpreting the statements on the continuum. We hope these exemplars will support the discussion and development of anchor papers in schools.