Hi All--Brian Kissel here. Literacy professor from North Carolina. Sitting on my Lazy-Boy with a beagle on my lap. Really looking forward to this chat! #G2Great
Welcome #G2Great friends. I’m literally climbing on an airplane at this very moment so Robo Mary will be here until I can’t onto wifi. I’ll join you as quickly as I can!
@ConferringCarl How's it going was one of the most influential books I read as a teacher and now that I'm a professor I bring it into my college classes as well. Thanks for writing a seminal book on conferring! #G2Great
#g2great#NCTE17 I was about to type the same thing! Put your Twitter handles on your name tags so we can recognize each other. And say HI!!! Don’t be shy!
#g2great A1: Writing conferences are the best assessment I have. I get to talk to writers and see their writing. I can tailor instruction to where that writer is in that moment to move her forward.
A1: conferring allows teacher and ss personal interaction & connection as well as chance to get to know ss on deeper level as writer #litbankstreet#g2great
A1: Conferring is a brief, intangible, & extremely valuable opportunity to allow students tell their story & to shine their bright light as only he or she can! #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
A1. Writing is about knowing that Ss have something to say, and showing them channels that help them share that message with the world in powerful ways. #G2Great
A1: Conferring allows teachers to connect with their students and students to reflect on their own learning process. So essential. #LitBankStreet#G2Great
A1: Conferring is a brief, intangible, & extremely valuable opportunity to allow students tell their story & to shine their bright light as only he or she can! #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
A2 I think we add to the mantle of teacher that of writer! Wearing both allows us to listen to students, respect their thinking, relate to each other as writers, & have a meaningful exchange. #G2Great
A2 #G2Great As the great Don Murray once wrote, writing conferences are “writer to writer” talk. We are the writing mentors & students are our mentees.
A1. Writing is about knowing that Ss have something to say, and showing them channels that help them share that message with the world in powerful ways. #G2Great
A2 When we remove the labels as teachers and students and move to a conversation between writers, students are more comfortable and honest and the conversation is more authentic. #g2great
A1: The beauty of writing conferences is that you meet the child where they are, congratulate them for the things they are doing and then push them a little more.#G2Great#kellerliteracy
A2 I love having shared experiences, struggles & successes, with my writers then discussing them through our writing conferences. Ts should write alongside their Ss #G2Great
A2: Imitation is the greats form of flattery. If we model great writing and thinking with our students through relationships, then they will continue to model that writing in their own way. #G2Great
Conferences are an opportunity to show students you care about their writing, learn about what they can do, and support them in learning techniques/craft they can use for the rest of their lives. #g2great
My grad students and I just talked about what a difference it makes when the conversation is writer to writer rather than teacher to students. Students are more comfortable to take risks and grow as writers. #G2Great#EDRD749
A2 Too often, conferences are inquisitions. A conversation is so much more organic and comfortable. Feels like so much more work can be done through conversation. #G2Great@BurkinsandYaris
A2: There’s so much we can learn from each other. I️ have learned more about writing working with my kinder kiddos this year than ever before. Chance for kids & Ts to be brave & transparent. We all can improve! #KellerLiteracy#G2Great
A2: Compliment the writer as a teacher then in the area you want student to grow, model your process as a fellow writer by pulling out your notebook and doing the work with the student #G2Great
A2: writers conversing w/writers is a powerful way to build rapport. Ss feel comfortable sharing with a fellow writer. My 2nd graders give me writing advice. It’s a symbiotic relationship. #G2Great
A2 By showing my own authentic writing, I build trust & credibility as a writer and a learner (to myself & Ss). I also have the chance to improve my craft along with Ss #G2Great
A2: 2 me this is all about modelling in these conferring sessions that writing is a process for us to. Discussing choices and options not choices and commands. Respecting their creativity #G2Great
Leigh Ann--we're all "works in progress" when it comes to conferring. I've been doing it for 20+ years now and students STILL push my thinking to unexpected realizations. :) #G2Great
A2: conference is time for the Student to be in the driver's seat as as far as decisions about what to use. T to S conversation enables writing partnership to grow when T is a writer, too!
#G2Great
#G2Great Hi everyone! This is Stephanie Affinito, a literacy teacher educator from NY. So excited to participate tonight (late!) with a favorite writing mentor! Jumping in where I can!
A1: The beauty of writing conferences is that you meet the child where they are, congratulate them for the things they are doing and then push them a little more.#G2Great#kellerliteracy
#G2Great The asking the "right questions" is where I have the most room for growth. Some conferences are easier to navigate than others - constant learning curve!
A2: This is what happens when students & teachers see value in reflecting together. I️ can improve my instruction to support their success. #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
A2: W to W is important because then your students feel like they can open up more, that you are having a conversation together, reflecting, sharing strategies, discussing as writers versus teacher to student #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
#G2Great As This is such an important insight. In conferences, we try to discover what children are doing so we can help them get better at it. It's not our agenda--it's theirs.
A2: conference is time for the Student to be in the driver's seat as as far as decisions about what to use. T to S conversation enables writing partnership to grow when T is a writer, too!
#G2Great
A2 #G2Great What will students talk with us about? What they’re doing as writers--e.g. finding ideas, writing with detail, revising, etc.--so we can help them get better at that work.
A2 - I wish my own Ts had done conferences w/ me as a grew up. I think it would’ve helped me see myself more as a writer at an earlier age & allowed me to connect w/ my Ts more. #G2Great
A2: modeling is a great way for students to see teachers facing same struggles and challenges that they too face in writing process #LitBankStreet#G2Great
A2 #G2Great As the great Don Murray once wrote, writing conferences are “writer to writer” talk. We are the writing mentors & students are our mentees.
A2: 1:1 conferring can result in remarkable bravery when a kiddo is willing to share his/her writing with the world & keeps working to improve. #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
A2: Unless we see ourselves as writers, we will always assume the stance of the evaluator. Young writers need support as opposed to constant evaluation. #G2Great
Our work in the classroom is like our work in life: it's about relationship building, trust & dialogue to grow our depth. Our conferring work can mirror this.
#G2Great A2 @ConferringCarl@DrMaryHoward
A1: I believe that anyone can find the joy of writing; conferring is the perfect 1-on-1 opportunity to nurture or developing writers. #G2Great#caprockpd#KellerLiteracy
Q2: Growth mindset - we are all still discovering more about ourselves as writers and readers AND students - not just as teachers. #G2Great#LitBankStreet
Q2 Conferring with your Ss builds trust and shows them you value them as writers and readers wherever they are at in the process. #G2Great#kellerliteracy
Q2: Growth mindset - we are all still discovering more about ourselves as writers and readers AND students - not just as teachers. #G2Great#LitBankStreet
#G2Great#kellerliteracy A3 It is all about empowering & equipping Ss w/ ability 2 transfer learning indep. If Ss can articulate understanding by not only naming & describing effective strategy but know WHEN to employ it again in the future then we know Ss have taken ownership.
A3 #G2Great We should be able to name one thing that we taught a student in a conference that she can add to her writing repertoire and do again--with independence--in the future.
A3: In an effort to encourage student self-reflection, I like to ask writers at the end of the conference: "What is something you've learned from our conversation?" #G2Great
#G2Great Everyone, your insights and thoughts about conferring are taking my breath away! I'm so inspired as I read your tweets. Wish I could respond to them all.
#G2Great "Commands" is a great word to use here - one to avoid in all things writer's workshop - always an invitation. A shift in thinking that yields powerful rewards.
a2: when we r ts talking to ss there is a different lvl, but when were writers talking to writers we can connect with our SS on a similar lvl, which allows the SS to see we are all the same #LitBankStreet#G2Great
A3 It holds me responsible to know what the purpose of the conf. was. It also names the move &, in doing so, empowers the writer. This can be a challenge for me, though. #G2Great
A3 Naming helps children to reflect on their learning and own it. Increases the likelihood that they will replicate this move again in the future when the T isn't watching! #G2Great@BurkinsandYaris
#G2Great#kellerliteracy A3 It is all about empowering & equipping Ss w/ ability 2 transfer learning indep. If Ss can articulate understanding by not only naming & describing effective strategy but know WHEN to employ it again in the future then we know Ss have taken ownership.
A3: helps us reflect on the process we just experienced- what went well, what else we might have said, did, etc. Prepares us for the infinite future convos we might have #G2Great
When I first learned about conferencing, it blew my mind. All I remember from my own schooling is handing things in and getting them back after they had been all marked up. #G2Great
#G2Great A3 A young teacher I was working with today was frustrated that she didn't always have the words to name things. I told her that as she continues to learn about teaching writing, she'll find the words.
A3: By helping students understand what I see they can be more aware. It is like helping someone who is lost, we don't just take their hand we tell them where we are going. #G2Great
Same here! And I think most of my writing was more daily journal responses. I didn’t learn writing process until middle school if I remember correctly. Sad! #G2Great
When I first learned about conferencing, it blew my mind. All I remember from my own schooling is handing things in and getting them back after they had been all marked up. #G2Great
A3: So important. Must be intentional & strategic investment w/ the understanding/awareness of whether or not the kiddo has a clear vision of where he/she is going (goal) and how to get there. #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
A3: End the conference with a teachable moment. Have the students teach you what they learned and see if your message hit it’s target. #G2Great#exitticket
A3: The conversation at the end of conferring helps the students focus on what their goal is when they go off to write independently and to remind them of the great writer they are #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
#G2Great A3 Take the time to really teach in the second part of a conference. Explain the what and how of what you're teaching. Use a mentor text to show students what you're teaching.
A3: End the conference with a teachable moment. Have the students teach you what they learned and see if your message hit it’s target. #G2Great#exitticket
Naming what the student did gives the student language to use when talking about writing and increases the likelihood the student will replicate. #G2Great
A3 #G2Great It’s important to be explicit about what we want students to learn to do as writers in each conference. Name what you teach with precision, using the terms that writers use.
Transfer. I'm starting to believe, tho, that it's really not we did to writers that transfers. It's what we do WITH writers that makes all the difference. Always alongside, with consent. It's a critical mindset. #G2Great A3
#G2Great This is where I have a lot of room for growth. Need to collect S samples as well as have a wide array of mentor texts bc you never know what writers will need until you start conversations!
Transfer. I'm starting to believe, tho, that it's really not we did to writers that transfers. It's what we do WITH writers that makes all the difference. Always alongside, with consent. It's a critical mindset. #G2Great A3
A3 challenge a student to find something in a book that caught their eye. What was it about the writing that made them want to continue to read the book?!
#G2Great#KellerLiteracy#caprockpd
THIS! Language leads learning! When students have the language to define, describe, determine the learning they have demonstrated they can reference and return to it more easily! #g2great
Naming what the student did gives the student language to use when talking about writing and increases the likelihood the student will replicate. #G2Great
Yes and it will strengthen their perceived concept and worth of themselves as authors and communicators of the world around them! #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
#G2Great One of the ways that my conferring has improved over the years is in the way that I can more precisely name what I'm teaching. It's hard, but essential.
THIS! Language leads learning! When students have the language to define, describe, determine the learning they have demonstrated they can reference and return to it more easily! #g2great
Naming what the student did gives the student language to use when talking about writing and increases the likelihood the student will replicate. #G2Great
No we just let celebratory tweets float past us - content in the knowledge that learning is lifting joyfully into the professional air. Hows that for a new goal #G2Great
#G2Great#kellerliteracy A4 1st model then lean in & ask Ss to do the same knowing it is through reflection that we consider whether or not we’ve spoken to our audience in a way that is visible, meaningful, and memorable. It is part of our identity as writers.
A4 We discuss why so to make it visible, in Ss language. Ask them to name the intention they were trying to write with that day before they share. Then, give them time to actually, slowly reflect with purpose.
#G2Great
A3 So important to name the commitment to new action at the close of the conference. It's affirming and powerful in helping kids to recall (recency effect). #g2great
A3: Naming how we helped students allows us as teachers to reflect on what we have done well and actually gives us a moment to process and celebrate our own successes which is something we as teachers often overlook. #G2Great#KellerLiteracy#caprockpd
A4: Love to have partners share goals for the day after ML and then at MWI as well as final share. Goals are important and to keep them actionable require "revisiting"!
#G2Great
A4 When students want to share their writing I ask, "What do you want me to notice?" This shifts focus from the story to the intention of the author. #g2great
THIS! Language leads learning! When students have the language to define, describe, determine the learning they have demonstrated they can reference and return to it more easily! #g2great
Naming what the student did gives the student language to use when talking about writing and increases the likelihood the student will replicate. #G2Great
As a new teacher it can be overwhelming with everything there is to learn and be aware of, I try my best to recognize how long of a process it is #G2Great
#G2Great A3 A young teacher I was working with today was frustrated that she didn't always have the words to name things. I told her that as she continues to learn about teaching writing, she'll find the words.
A3 Naming the strategy provides focus. End the conference with restating how the student can use that strategy in other writing or reading opportunities. #G2Great#kellerliteracy
A4 Consider a mirror or a reflection in a pond, we must first help students to stop and notice, to see themselves as writers in order to be reflective. #g2great
A4 Can't answer this without thinking about the Prompting Funnel--ask Ss to say more about that or to explain how they did what they did as a writer. #G2Great@BurkinsandYaris
A5: I think Reflection is the Neglected R of Workshop. We teachers (me included) have to do a better job at allocating time for writers to engage in this important work. #G2Great
A4 When students want to share their writing I ask, "What do you want me to notice?" This shifts focus from the story to the intention of the author. #g2great
Transfer. I'm starting to believe, tho, that it's really not we did to writers that transfers. It's what we do WITH writers that makes all the difference. Always alongside, with consent. It's a critical mindset. #G2Great A3
A4: I try and verbally frame my points of feedback as questions I have as a reader. Posing questions invites student reflection. A question I have as a reader here is… #G2Great
a3: going over & reflecting what you talked about during a conference will help the SS retain what was talked about during the conference; and will help in their future writing #LitBankStreet#G2Great
A4 #G2Great One of our most profound conferring moves is to give students wait time after we ask, "How's it going?", so that they can reflect on what they’re doing--and then tell us.
A5: I think Reflection is the Neglected R of Workshop. We teachers (me included) have to do a better job at allocating time for writers to engage in this important work. #G2Great
A2: We make a plus delta chart that is written on the reverse side of their piece of writing/book. The student leads the conference by sharing the strengths & then opportunities for improvement. The kiddo selects one OFI & identifies how to address it #KellerLiteracy#G2Great
A5: I think Reflection is the Neglected R of Workshop. We teachers (me included) have to do a better job at allocating time for writers to engage in this important work. #G2Great
Love how this shifts the role a bit and allows the student the opportunity to explain/teach to the teacher. Just two equals, two writers in the conference #G2Great
A4 Great "coaching" questions facilitate that reflection for kids. "What's going well? What feels tricky? Where can you see that you've grown as a writer? What are you doing now that's new for you?" #g2great
A4 #G2Great Helping students learn to talk about what they’re doing as writers in conferences helps them reflect on what they're doing, and become more intentional, mindful writers.
I love this answer and couldn't agree more. We don't want to tell the students something and walk away, but allow them to reflect and really understand what we are conferring about. #G2Great#kellerliteracy
A4: I try very hard to get my students to take ownership on their own learning. I think they feel very empowered when they truly realize they are in charge of their own writing goals. #G2Great#KellerLiteracy#caprockpd
A4: I always have students ask themselves “did you meet your goals?” Self Reflection is crucial to growth because they are often tougher critics than we are. It helps them to see growth. #G2Great
A4: Goal setting and research in the conference...What are you working on as a writer? What strategy are you trying? What are you ready to try next? Last time we worked on _____, how has that been going? #G2Great
#G2Great A4 Don Graves suggested that we give 20-30 seconds of wait time to give kids time to think about what they're doing, and what they will say to us in a conference.
I don't think it's really ever about "to" it's always about "with" and "by" #G2Great Inspiration is something lighter something like a shared transfer.
#G2Great#kellerliteracy A5 Teaching the writing is a short term goal heightened by our instruction in minilessons while teaching the writer is long term going beyond the genre or text in focus.
A4: By allowing students to set their own goals, by having discussions that invite students to think about their writing, and by showing students your own process of reflecting #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
#G2Great A4 Don Graves suggested that we give 20-30 seconds of wait time to give kids time to think about what they're doing, and what they will say to us in a conference.
A5 #G2Great Finding out what a child is doing helps us find the focus for a conference. In the best conferences, we “get behind” what students are doing.
A5: Always start with a compliment, but it's amazing how many children can't repeat the compliment! Ask them! What did I tell you you were doing well? #G2Great
this is so important to do, always a main focus is to have the SS thinking in a different way about their writing and participating. also it is important when we ask them this very meaningful question about THEIR writing #LitBankStreet#G2Great
A4 When students want to share their writing I ask, "What do you want me to notice?" This shifts focus from the story to the intention of the author. #g2great
A4: We make a plus delta chart that is written on the reverse side of their piece of writing/book. The student leads the conference by sharing the strengths & then opportunities for improvement. The kiddo selects one OFI & identifies how to address it #KellerLiteracy#G2Great
#G2Great A4 Don Graves suggested that we give 20-30 seconds of wait time to give kids time to think about what they're doing, and what they will say to us in a conference.
A4 Ask the student what they want to work on. S's should be given the opportunity to reflect on their own writing and find their own area of improvement. #G2Great#KellerLiteracy#caprockpd
A5 Identity as a writer is an essential piece - must often show Ss they are ‘writers’. Once they feel able they are much more willing to be inspired and motivated to move themselves forward. #G2Great
A4: When we ask students their intentions in a conference, we’re helping them reflect on what they’re working on as a writer. Then, we must teach into them. #G2Great
A5: they meet the student at his/her level. What are they already doing? How can you help them develop that even further? Helps to decide what they are ready for. #G2Great
A5: The past and present writing experiences get drawn to surface as foundation for their future writing self (better writer) moving forward from conference #G2Great
A5 What the child is doing is assessment and helps the writer reflect and become aware of their work. Without knowing where you are, it’s hard to know where you’re going. #G2Great
A5: Self recognition of growth/strength and then work on an area of need in order to grow as a writer. These two in tandom recognize a strength already accomplished and a place to grow & learn (why it's time for teaching)!
#G2Great
A5 #G2Great How do we know what to focus on in conferences? Start by asking students what they’re doing as writers. They will often tell you. It takes my breath away to hear students name what they're doing with precision.
A5 In order to improve anything, a learner must first understand where they are as a learner and then have a vision for where to grow next. #G2Great@BurkinsandYaris
A4: When we ask students their intentions in a conference, we’re helping them reflect on what they’re working on as a writer. Then, we must teach into them. #G2Great
A5: These go hand in hand because by finding out what the writer is doing, we can help give them an area/skill to then focus on #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
A4 Totally agree that wit time is SO hard but seeing a student arrive at their own reflection is completely worth the wait! #kellerliteracy#G2Great#CaprockPD
A5: A Glow & A Grow allows students to feel the success of hearing what they are doing well and also makes them more receptive to learn specific ways in which they can improve. #G2Great#KellerLiteracy#caprockpd
A5: Celebrations and solutions. Writing is a process. I tell my students that it isn't "finished" until you want it to be. We celebrate the great and find solutions to the struggles through conversations. #G2Great
A4 Totally agree that wit time is SO hard but seeing a student arrive at their own reflection is completely worth the wait! #kellerliteracy#G2Great#CaprockPD
A5: both ?s let Ss own their craft by establishing what they are doing & help to develop it by identifying their goal. Writers have a purpose and they need to focus on it during their writing time. (Oh my, beyond the limit!!) #g2great
A4: Students have begun to give each other plus delta feedback now too. Their feedback resonates w/each other. Powerful practice to be able to share feedback with tact as well as receive feedback with grace. #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
A4: We make a plus delta chart that is written on the reverse side of their piece of writing/book. The student leads the conference by sharing the strengths & then opportunities for improvement. The kiddo selects one OFI & identifies how to address it #KellerLiteracy#G2Great
A5: Celebrations and solutions. Writing is a process. I tell my students that it isn't "finished" until you want it to be. We celebrate the great and find solutions to the struggles through conversations. #G2Great
A5: The two conversational structures are integral components because you build on what students are already having some success with as a writer. #g2great#kellerliteracy
A4 Confer about process & ask Ss to point out growth & how happened. Confer to compare early & later pieces & students think abt growth. Give time to reflect on writing frequently & Ss will see benefits. It can become habit. Show u value reflection! #G2Great
A5 Identity as a writer is an essential piece - must often show Ss they are ‘writers’. Once they feel able they are much more willing to be inspired and motivated to move themselves forward. #G2Great
A5: Point out what they're doing to encourage transference. Show them what they are ready for next as a writer. When you walk away, they will be charged up with more to write and a vision for how to write it. #g2great
A5 stars and steps grow writers. They need to know that they are making strides and are “getting it” and then we always have to offer the next step to be even better #G2Great
A5: You have to know your past to see where your future will lead you. Growth is a process and a journey. Embrace the road ahead, but appreciate the path in the past #growth#goals#G2Great
A5: Just watched Shawn Acher's TedTalk. Really worth watching. https://t.co/5euSnQspXE We all do better when we come at something from a + place. #g2great TY @drgravityg
@ConferringCarl A5 Acknowledging what the s is doing as a writer typically fuels the their think tank, so they are eager to discuss how to become a better writer. Both structures benefit and enhance the student
#G2Great#caprockpd#kellerliteracy
A5: Just watched Shawn Acher's TedTalk. Really worth watching. https://t.co/5euSnQspXE We all do better when we come at something from a + place. #g2great TY @drgravityg
A5 Must identify where they are now, where they want to be, & determine steps needed to get there. Consider drivers & preventers (could be behaviors, learning environment, etc). Bone diagram w/force field analysis. #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
A6: giving ss strategies and tools they need to continue in their writing process & setting tangible/realistic goals for them to work towards in the meantime #litbankstreet#g2great
#G2Great#kellerliteracy A6 Like a trail of bread crumbs left along a hiking path know where your Ss have been, where they are now & where they are ready to go next. Be ever present & keenly observant, celebrating each step, & nudge them ever so gently onward and upward.
Totally agree- they are considering/reflecting on their own work and helping to define their own goals! So key for them to own their own learning! #LitBankStreet#G2Great
A4: When we ask students their intentions in a conference, we’re helping them reflect on what they’re working on as a writer. Then, we must teach into them. #G2Great
A6 Finding authentic moments in read alouds when I can connect the author’s work to something a student has done. “Oh Wow! This reminds me of ___’s work yesterday.She did this in her writing too.” #G2Great
#G2Great#kellerliteracy A6 Like a trail of bread crumbs left along a hiking path know where your Ss have been, where they are now & where they are ready to go next. Be ever present & keenly observant, celebrating each step, & nudge them ever so gently onward and upward.
A6 I look at trends in my conference notes each week to determine areas of need for mini-lessons or small group instruction. Our plans should be fluid to meet the changing needs of our students. #G2Great
A6 Making time to review anecdotal notes to look for patterns is critical to making decisions about what to teach next and how to plan for small group instruction. @BurkinsandYaris#G2Great
A6: if you see a pattern, pull a small group together and do a mini lesson, find mentors for certain parts of writing while conferring and match them with students they could help! #g2great
A4 this is something that I find difficult as students do not always see their own growth. I do a lot of modeling and using rubrics and anchor papers so student become familiar with what the desired outcome should look like #G2Great
A6: Again, my pink cards help me. Kids collect them, but I can look at them too and say, hey--I taught you that--where's the evidence of my teaching? #G2Great
#G2Great#kellerliteracy A6 Like a trail of bread crumbs left along a hiking path know where your Ss have been, where they are now & where they are ready to go next. Be ever present & keenly observant, celebrating each step, & nudge them ever so gently onward and upward.
A6: Just like a reading conference we need to set dates to check back in. I can't imagine being given a task to complete and then just being left without further support if needed. #G2Great
a5: answering both questions allows the SS to see what they are doing and how to work on their own writing and goals for the future. SS will learn how they can grow and improve their skills #LitBankStreet#G2Great
#G2Great A6 Noting common challenges helps to drive mini-lessons. Investing time to evaluate data collection is key. I try to jot down commonalities at the end of ea day of conferring for next wk's plans.
A6 when I see patterns or am teaching a complex strategy I think about creating a teaching tool like a demonstration notebook page or micro-progression that we can go back to again & again #G2Great
A5- complimenting students writing on what they are doing right helps them want to dig deeper and try something they may not of tried before as they continue.. #G2Great#kellerliteracy#caprockpd
By continuing to check in, having students create/set goals to work towards to keep their focus, and celebrating each step of the way #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
A6: Sometimes we notice during conferring that many of our students are struggling with the same skill, so we can then re-teach to the whole class. #G2Great
#G2Great And, most important, reviewing notes before the next conference helps remind us to revisit things with students when they still need more help with something.
A6 Making time to review anecdotal notes to look for patterns is critical to making decisions about what to teach next and how to plan for small group instruction. @BurkinsandYaris#G2Great
A6 Conferring w/ kiddos daily is an ongoing needs assessment. Keeping a portfolio of students’ individual writing growth allows me to remind students of how far they’ve come. We celebrate our success & keep climbing! #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
#G2Great This has been a shift for my GLP and me b/c our class makeup is so different at times; therefore our planning needs to reflect the differences.
That’s what it looks like but it’s showing how much space we have left to write I think. It’s not an exact science but it’s visually appealing! #G2Great
#G2Great So true - I find that I sound like a replay button if I haven't glanced back at the notes from previous conference - we sometimes laugh at how similar the conversation looks!
A6 I sort my conference notes into patterns and then plan and pull strategy groups. These groups are fluid because Ss demonstrate changing needs. When I see common threads that all Ss need support I plan whole class lessons #G2Great
A6: Again, my pink cards help me. Kids collect them, but I can look at them too and say, hey--I taught you that--where's the evidence of my teaching? #G2Great
It's crucial to know where your Ss are at in order to establish next steps. Without that, it's like trying to reach a destination with no starting point or clear direction. #G2Great#kellerliteracy
#G2Great Glad you brought up mentor texts. Showing MTs--student work, published authors, our writing--gives kids the vision for where we want them to go as writers. One of the most essential conferring moves.
That’s awesome Patricia! For these reasons, I️ don’t understand why some teachers are charged with planning writing for their entire grade level. How do you plan for someone else’s students you don’t know?! 🤔 #G2Great
A6 I look at trends in my conference notes each week to determine areas of need for mini-lessons or small group instruction. Our plans should be fluid to meet the changing needs of our students. #G2Great
#G2Great#kellerliteracy A7 Remember to be present in the now and work towards a delicate balance between the writing of today and the writer of tomorrow
A5 What the child is doing is assessment and helps the writer reflect and become aware of their work. Without knowing where you are, it’s hard to know where you’re going. #G2Great
Our work with writers comes from what writers in front of us need. They guide our next moves. This is essential for responsive, inclusive, equitable workshop classrooms. #G2great
This 👇
A7: I need to confer more, more often, more depth. more progress. In the end it will equal more writing more reflecting and more joy in the work. #G2Great Oh also I need to celebrate more, WAY MORE :)
a7: i think it is important for me to really ask the student i am working with what they want me to take away from their writing and what THEY want ME to notice #LitBankStreet#G2Great
A7: taking away lots of reminders to be explicit &reflective in my conferences. And not to beat myself up-I’m learning along with my kids. 🧐Thanks @ConferringCarl and #G2Great moderators!
A7 I want to remember to go into a conference open to the possibilities. If I have predetermined a focus I may be missing out on what this writer needs most. #G2Great
@ConferringCarl A6 T's are immediately aware of any hesitations/confusion. Conferring provides valuable and direct insight as to what the T's need to reteach or dig deeper upon #G2Great#caprockpd#kellerliteracy
#G2Great Hope to see folks at NCTE. I'll be doing a conferring workshop with Dan Feigelson and Matt Glover on Friday (and one on literary essay with Lucy Calkins and Mary Ehrenworth on the same day).
A7: Partners
Collaboratively
Writer to Writer
Recognizing and Naming what we are doing now . . .
Conferring to create
a road map
for future writing!
#G2Great
A7: Loved reading all these tweets, so many great ideas to take back to my classroom. Loved the idea about leaving students with a conferring note that they can take back with them. #G2Great#KellerLiteracy
A7)several years ago I heard @ConferringCarl say, "teach the writer, not the writing." Opened my eyes to what a conference truly is. I try to live this each time I sit w/ a young writer. #G2Great
Ongoing conferring is key. Love the Lucy Calkins quote - we are "teaching the writer and the not the writing"....the writer will continue to grow and evolve along with their process and we must continue to support/reflect with them along the way! #LitBankStreet#G2Great
If our ultimate goal of working alongside the innovative, curious & creative minds of children is to co-create conditions where they've agency & are heard in our writing classrooms, Ss must be centered in all decisions made. Always. #G2Great take away.
A7 conferring is a valued practice in supporting writers. It is the best way to get a pulse on what Ss are taking away from mini lessons and acts as a formative assessment to plan your next instructional steps. #G2Great
Thank YOU for inspiring us! How's It Going laid the foundation for my work with conferring and I read Assessing Writers with my #EDRD749 graduate students at Furman University! #G2Great
A6: This is where conferring notes are so important. Each conference gives the teacher in insight into what needs to be focused on in the future. #G2Great#KellerLiteracy#caprockpd
A7 So many distinctions and reminders tonight! Top thought is to enter a conference to inspire, NOT to fix. A close second is pulling small groups based on patterns, not nec whole grp mini-lessons. #g2great
Thank YOU for inspiring us! How's It Going laid the foundation for my work with conferring and I read Assessing Writers with my #EDRD749 graduate students at Furman University! #G2Great
@ConferringCarl A7 I liked the "what do you want me to notice" question that was shared. In kinder, we are teaching them not only to discuss their writing but HOW to discuss their writing. This question will be helpful! #G2Great#caprockpd#kellerliteracy
