WRITING CONFERENCES

Please make sure you sign in.

Take a moment to fill out anticipation guide.

You will leave today with an understanding of…

• the architecture of the conference.

• the resources to assist your conferencing.

• some considerations while conferencing with your students.

• the benefits of conferencing with students.

Framing our time together…

●Anticipation guide

●“WHY” conference?

●The Architect of a conference

●Record keeping for conferences

Our Promise to You…• to provide you with many opportunities to turn and talk

with your colleagues.

• to share important information to promote student growth.

• to elaborate your understanding of the conference components.

• to stay on schedule and be present for all activities.

Why

Conference?

“Many teachers have discovered that one of the most powerful ways to teach students to be better writers- if not the most powerful way- is to sit beside them and confer with them as they write.”

~ Carl Anderson

Research says…Why Conferences?

Conferences allow educators to teach to students' individual needs as writers and are one of the best ways to differentiate writing instruction. Students, in turn, respond well to conferences because the instruction is personalized—and personal.

STUDENTS REPORT:

● growth in their writing.● Higher SAT, and EPT scores● ownership of writing goals● increased confidence in writing

Why Conference? What does it do?

Turn &

TalkAHA Moment!

I’m still confused about…!

Working & Conferencing Areas

Desks in Groups Conference Table

The Workshop Structure

Mini-lessonIndependent Writing

Mid-workshop InterruptionConferencing

Share

Compliment

TEACH

LINKResearc

h

Decide

Research

“How can I help?” Then look and listen and think...

2 min.

● Recall what we already know about the child as a writer

● Glance at (and quickly read over the shoulder) what the child has been writing.

● Observe the child at work without interruptions

● Ask questions and probe to explore the child’s answers.

Research2 min.

ASK QUESTIONS AND EXPLORE TO PROBE ACTIVITYOpening question by teacher: “Can you tell me what you are working on today?”Student responds:“I am writing about my birthday party.”What might be additional questions you would ask to follow up?

Turn & Talk

What happened first in the story?Are you in it?You mentioned balloons. Is there a story about them?

“How is it going with your writing today?”

“What’s your plan for writing time today?”

“What are you working on in your writing today?”

Make students name what they are doing?

Compliment

TEACH

LINKResearch

Decide

Decide

“I rarely feel certain that I’ve made a correct decision about the path a young writer should follow. Instead I gather some clues and move toward a teaching decision with hesitation.” ~ Lucy Calkins

● Decide what the student has done well that you want to compliment.

● Decide what it is you want to teach the student- something you hope will help the child with this piece and with future writing.

● Decide how you will go about teaching the teaching point.

Compliment

COMPLIMENT ACTIVITY

Decide what the student has done well and offer a lasting compliment.

Compliment TECHNIQUES: ● contrast● generalize● focus on process● focus on writing identity● combination

Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them.”

~Richard L. Evans

“It’s important to communicate to students in conferences that we care about them as people and writers.”

~ Carl Anderson

Compliment

LET’S PRACTICE!!!

Carol Dweck, author of Mindset, found that praising students for working through difficult material made them want to show even more they could do so again.

You say... You could say... Why?

Good job! I can really see you effort in revision Praising effort and process encourages writes to keep trying. (Dweck)

Please revise Improved topic sentences and transitions between paragraphs would improve your paper’s structure and readability

Specific reader-focused feedback might seem nitpick, but helps writers feel purpose of revision.

TEACH

Decide how you are going to teach?Should meet the student along the same lines of their goals.Should be universal, not just for that particular writing piece.

Choose between:● Guided practice● Demonstration● inquiry● example or explanation

LINK

Lucy Conferences with a Primary StudentVoice over coaching

Resources

•CD - checklists•Units•Writing Pathways •If and Then•How’s it going? •6+1 Traits

modeled like fish bowl

Architecture of Conferencing

❑ Time to practice❑ Get into partnerships

❑ One of you will be the student and one of you will be the teacher.

clipboard, binder,

assessment sheets,

folders, digital apps

Tracking Student

Progress

Mark these pages if you want…Guide BookWriting Pathways Learning ProgressionChecklistsFind examples on the CD

Tips and Tidbits

Tracking Student Progress Con’t

❑ Your system is meant to support your teaching and your students learning

❑You may have to try 5-6 systems until you find what will work

Tips and Tidbits, Types

Tracking Student Progress Con’t

❑ Digital Apps - Notability, Evernote❑Clipboard with a “Status of the Class” chart that records the compliment and teaching point of the conference

❑Create a recording sheet with the key learning targets taken from checklists, learning progression, unit teaching points, traits of writing, etc.

❑Notebooks or binders divided into sections for each student

Tips and Tidbits, Types

Tracking Student Progress Con’t

❏ Record conferences and small group sessions on

stick-on notes or large printer labels

❑ Conference notes that include compliment, teaching point, and next steps in the back of students’ writer’s notebooks

❑ Combine systems

❏ Other?