Writing WorkshopFocus: Conferring /

NotebookingJennifer Evans

Assistant Director ELASt. Clair County RESA

Evans.Jennifer@sccresa.orghttp://www.protopage.com/evans.jennifer

Notebook

Teacher’s Notebook

Conferring

Teaching Point

Agenda

Writer’s Workshop FormatMini-Lesson

(10-15

min.)

Independent Practice with Conferrin

g(30-40

min.)

Sharing( 5-10

min.)

Teacher’s Notebook

Conferring

* Every student should have their own notebook.

(K-1 might use a folder system or a series of mini-

books) * Students should write in their

notebooks every day.

Start with Notebooking

"A writer's notebook works just like an incubator; a protective place to keep your infant idea safe and warm, a place for it to grow while it is too young, too new, to survive on its own."

Ralph Fletcher

Teacher Notebooks

Method of Instruction

Demonstration: model and narrate the step-by-step

process a writer undertakes to do the work

Explanation and example: explain what you hope to accomplish,

and then show examplesGuided

Practice: walk the students

through the process of

using a strategy,

using clear, efficient

prompts to coach them

along

Inquiry: using a strong student

example, pose an inquiry question to

your students to look closely at the writing to try to figure

out how the student did this

ConnectWhen instructing with your notebook, show students how you use checklists to

monitor your learning:•Check a writing on demand sample or example from your notebook for evidence of components from checklist•Site evidence•Hold yourself accountable•Honestly identify current status•Clarify steps to mastery•Determine next steps to mastery

Notebook Demonstrations for

scaffold support •Are done during whole class mini-lessons•Are done during individual conferences•Are done with partners•Are done in small groups

Why Confer?Conferring works. With some planning, record‑keeping, and organization, we can make sure this crucial teaching construct remains in its rightful place at the heart of reading and writing workshops.

In study after study, students all feel that the conferences were the most valuable form of instruction to improve their learning.

As Lucy Calkins delivered the keynote address at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project Institute at Columbia University, she shared that she was reminded of the importance of holding on to our truths, our values, in our instruction. Even as initiatives change and expectations rise around us, we must hold fast to what we know works best for students. Conferring works!

Goals of a Writing ConferenceWhen you confer with a student, it isn’t your job to fix or edit the

student’s writing. Rather, it’s to teach the

student one strategy or

technique he can use in a current piece of writing and continue to

use in future writing.

Independent Practice with Conferring30-40 MinutesWhen choosing your teaching point think: “Of all the options I

have, what can I teach that will make the biggest difference for this writer?”

Students work independently while the teacher meets with small groups or individual students.

• Conferring Talking Cards – What are you working on as a writer?

Getting to Know Your WritersBeginning conferences can seem like conversations where we get to know our students’ writing habits and behaviors and begin to create profiles of our students to help us plan instruction:During these conversations we ask:• Why did you choose to write this story?• Do you like to write?• Do you share what you write with anyone at home?• Why do you write?• When do you like to write?• Where is your favorite place to write?• Tell me about one of your favorite stories you have written. Why is it your

favorite?• Is there a type of story that you do not like to write?• Do you have a favorite author you like to learn from?• What do you like best about writing?• What is something that is hard for you when you are writing?

Reading Conferring Guidelines

Beginning of Conference

• First, determine what stage of the writing progression the student is at.

• Next, identify what characteristics of the stage the student is doing well and using but confusing.

• Be sure the student is focused on a specific area of need by asking an open-ended question such as, “What are you working on as a writer?” Writer shares his application of current thinking strategies he is using.

• Cultivate Rigor: teach the thinker and thinking

Middle of

Conference

• Become an expert at asking follow-up questions based on your observations and what the student tells you.

• Have the student read and discuss a brief passage with you. Discuss something that you both noticed during the conference.

• Nurture Inquiry: use meaningful, documentable data.

• Focus on the learning progression to help the student grow as a writer.

• Give appropriate feedback.

“The most powerful single influence enhancing achievement is feedback”

Quality feedback

is needed, not more feedback

.

Much of the

feedback provided by the

teacher to the

student is not valued and not acted on.

Students with a Growth Mindset welcome feedback and are more

likely to use it to improve

their performa

nce.

Oral feedback is much

more effective

than written.

Feedback on task,

process and self regulation level is far more effective than on the Self-

level (e.g.

praise which

contains no

learning informati

on)

What Must Feedback Include?

1. Recognition of the desired goal.

2. Evidence about present position.

3. Some understanding of a way to close the gap between the two.

Feedback must meet its purpose

A class was working on paragraphs, and the teacher assigned her class to write a paragraph to answer the question “Do you think dogs or cats make better pets?”

The teacher gave written feedback – good;

However, the feedback was all about the

convention errors the student had made – not

the focus of the assignment which was a

complete paragraph with a clear topic, at least 3

supporting sentences, and a clear conclusion.

This feedback approach does not match the criteria for the learning target, and since the only feedback the student received was about mechanics, the message is

to fix those errors. Recopying by route may

result in a mechanically free paragraph with no learning involved and still without a

clear topic sentence.

You know your feedback is good if you get the following results:

• Your students do learn – their work improves.• Your students become more motivated – they believe they can learn,

they want to learn, an they take more control over their own learning.• Your classroom becomes a place where feedback, including

constructive, is valued and viewed as productive.• Students need to understand that it isn’t the teacher’s job or their

classmates’ job to make them a better writer. It is their job. You are in charge.• It starts with you saying to yourself, “This matters to me, and I have

to get better at it.” Then assess yourself and plan your next steps with the help of the checklists.• Use the checklist as a tool for self-assessment and goal-setting.

Teaching Point /

Goal Setting

• Your success in helping a student grow as a writer in a conference depends on your skill as a teacher. The checklists reflect your instruction as much as student growth.

• Start by naming and defining the specific craft, skill or technique that you together have determined is a need. Explain why it’s important for the student to learn. To help the student understand the skill or technique, you might show an example.

• Most importantly, explain how the student can use the skill or technique in his own writing.

• Commit to the idea all children can think at high levels.

End of Confere

nce

•Try it – be sure to have the student try it and explain their thinking before you end the conference. •Link it – help the student to connect how they will continue to use this skill or technique to help them improve their writing and accomplish their goal.•Next steps – be sure to have the student explain what their next steps in working with this skill or technique will be.

How Often Should I Confer?

• Everyday, everyday, everyday for both reading and writing• Each conference will take about 3-10 minutes• Try to get to every student at least once a week; strugglers

will need more time

Conference Example

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va0XD62EBhA

Using the Checklists

2nd Grade Checklist

Principals of Conferences that Move Students along a Trajectory in a Learning Progression1. Begin by looking back at old conference notes, checking to see

what was taught previously and how the student is advancing toward those prior goals.2. Research your student’s work, asking questions such as “What are you working on as a writer?”3. Don’t limit your research to one area - gather information about what the student is doing as a writer in many areas of the progression.4. Use appropriate feedback, complimenting the student in a way that will allow her to do more work, naming it clearly, and showing the student an example.5. Differentiate by using the appropriate checklist below, at, or above grade level to meet the need of the student.6. Incorporate the use of checklists into what you already know about good conferring.7. Help students see checklists as a source of goals writers can use to grow in substantial ways instead of a “checklist mentality.”8. Guide students to understand the reasons behind each aspect of the checklist, for example, why a writer would add dialogue.

How Can I Help My Partner With Goals?

Ask Questions • “What are you working on?”

• “Can you show me where you tried that?”

• “How can I help you?”Be a Cheerleader • “I love the way you…”

(Be specific and show your partner the parts you admire.)

Give Feedback • “ Maybe you could try…”• “ If you want I could help you

with…”• “ I’m not sure this part is

working…”

Goal Setting ChartDesignate a portion of their notebook as “Goals, Plans, and Reflections.”

Example Recording

Form

Record Keeping Examples

Conferencing Form : http://www.sccresa.org/toolsforschools/curriculumtools/writewell/introductiontowritewell/writewell3rdgrade

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