On Feb 27, 2012, at 10:35 AM, Emma Takvoryan wrote:
I am starting Reader's Workshop this year and the biggest problem I
am having is when I conference with my students. I have them write
me letters, I read them and write comments, and then when we go to
conference I feel like I am not always saying anything of use. How
do you all organize your conferences?
Emma, I am interested in your comment that you have your students
write you a letter and that you respond and then you feel like you
have nothing of use to say in your conferencing. So I would ask you
these questions: What is your purpose in having them write you a
letter? Do you require certain things in those letters?
Here's why I ask:
When I was running an independent reading program (and really, with
anything I implemented in my classroom), I always considered how much
time something would take AND whether or not the time was well spent.
So, regarding these letters your students write to you, if your
purpose is to have them tell you about their work, then you might
want to consider skipping the letter and having them just *tell* you
during your conference because that will take less time and give you
the same outcome. If your reason for having them write the letter is
to have them practice writing a letter AND give you kid-oriented
documentation for their work, then I would use that letter as a
jumping off point.
When I conferenced with students, I did more asking then telling,
because I wanted them to tell me about their work and also get more
details. So I would ask them to tell me about the story they are
writing, tell me about the book they are reading, etc. and then I
would ask follow up questions to get more detail.
And on organization: Every teacher needs to consider their own
classroom environment in order to create an organized structure that
works for them. I worked in a double classroom with another teacher.
Between us, we had three grades (1, 2, and 3) and 40 students. Our
"conference" table was "between" the two rooms where we could see
everything and everybody at all times. We each had another work table
off in opposite corners of the room that were more private.
My students had an independent reading and writing folder in which
they kept all their writing, checksheets, individualized spelling
lists, and anything else related to the workshop that I'd want them
to bring to conference with the book they were reading. I had a
little marked-off section of my chalkboard (and yes, I had a
chalkboard!!!) where my students signed up for a conference when they
reached the end of their checksheet. I kept a tally sheet with every
student's name on it, and the ONLY thing I put on that sheet was a
tally when I met with a student. The only purpose this sheet had was
for me to see immediately who might not be signing up for
conferences. Grades, comments, etc were on the student's checksheet.
They got a new checksheet at the end of the conference.
So somebody is going to ask what was on the checksheet. Well, it
changed over time, but basically it was something like this:
Read a book.
Write about the book. Use a prompt card.
Draw an illustration that goes with your writing.
Do a proofreading task or a skills worksheet.
Go over your spelling words.
Work on something from your writing file.
Sign up for a conference.
While you wait do something from the "While you wait" chart.
Now some of these things are not going to make sense because they
were specific to our classroom. I have Montessori certification and I
ran my class very similarly to a Montessori environment, where all
materials were available to students and a lot of things used task
cards of some kind, most of which I wrote myself. For example, the
"proofreading" task cards were similar to the Daily Oral Language
most people are familiar with. They were numbered and color-coded
(remember, three grades) and students knew to write the card number
on their paper. The "skills worksheets" were color coded, in folders
on the wall, with a little table right there. They were changed about
every week and addressed things like alphabetizing, proofreading,
rhyming, etc.
Students had a writing file that was separate from the work folder
where they kept starts, ideas, etc.
The "while you wait" chart was student-generated and hung on the wall
near the conference table. It was a list of things to do: read the
walls, read poetry, write a poem, write a letter, share your book
with another student, etc. I don't remember all the things on the chart.
I could keep going, but this is just a tiny taste of what this looked
like in my classroom.
I spent the whole independent reading/writing time conferencing with
students, just going down the list. I taught students to cross off
their name, NOT erase it, so that when they signed up for a
conference no one could "jump the line" so there were two or three
columns of names. When we ran out of space, the first column was
erased. It's a small detail, but an important one.... one of those
structure things that evolved over time out of need.
If anyone is still reading this and has specific questions, just fire
away!
Renee
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