I’ve been trying to improve my own skills as I sit down next to writers throughout my years of teaching writing, and there is so much more to conferring than the three ideas that I’m sharing in this post.
Want to improve your conferring? Carl Anderson’s new book, A Teacher’s Guide to Writing Conferences, will help you learn the ins and outs of conferring well with young writers.
Read the Q&A with Carl, then leave a comment on this blog post for a chance to win a copy of your own!
We can teach students about improving their writing process and to write with detail and voice by watching Guy Fieri on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”
Find out what sprinkled cupcakes and figurative language instruction have to do each other!
I’m working on a presentation, “Getting Started with Writing Workshop,” for a group of 3rd – 6th grade teachers I’ll be working with later this month. I’ve made a list … Continue Reading Working Together to Help Struggling Writers
Ever since I took Carl Anderson‘s course, “Assessment-Based Writing Instruction: Use a study of Student Work to Generate Goals and Systems for Recording Progress Towards Those Goals,” I’ve been thinking … Continue Reading Record-Keeping Forms
I’m taking Carl Anderson‘s week-long class, Assessment-Based Writing Instruction: Use a study of Student Work to Generate Goals and systems for Recording Progress Towards Those Goals, at the July Writing … Continue Reading Confer Like a Doctor
Ryan Scala has been teaching 4th grade (both as a general educator and a co-teacher working alongside a special education teacher in an inclusive setting) for the past nine years … Continue Reading Imagining Possibilities: A Guest Blog Post by Ryan Scala
Kristine Michael taught fourth grade for fifteen years before becoming the Curriculum Director for Granville Exempted Village Schools in Ohio. Kristine is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher in middle childhood … Continue Reading Confessions of a Lurking Writer: A Guest Blog Post by Kristine Michael
Carl Anderson (aka: The Conferring Guy) has not only listened to the Beatles’ music; he has studied it. He has determined by the Beatles wrote particular songs, how they wrote … Continue Reading Purpose, Process, & Craft with Carl Anderson
Mrs. V. left the following comment yesterday: “Thanks for your details. Could you tell me more about their idea notebook nightly assignment? What are the requirements and how do you … Continue Reading Just what are the kids writing in those notebooks?
I consider myself fortunate to have learned more about the art of conferring with young writers from some of the best folks out there: Carl Anderson, Lucy Calkins, and Jen … Continue Reading Back to Basics: Conferring (Part of TWT’s Big Picture Series)
Strategy Lesson Record Sheet Originally uploaded by teachergal It’s always been tedious recording the teaching point from strategy lessons on three – five kids’ conference record sheets every time I … Continue Reading Keeping Records
Conferring Tips from C.A. Originally uploaded by teachergal Carl Anderson delivered an excellent keynote address at the TCRWP’s Writing Institute, which I attended a couple of weeks ago. It was … Continue Reading How to Make Conferring Better in Our Classrooms
On the final day of the Writing Institute, both Carl and Lucy spent some time reiterating the importance of knowing a few texts REALLY WELL so you can use the … Continue Reading READING/WRITING CONNECTIONS: If you want to teach writing really well, know a few picture books really well and use them when you confer.
I spent last week at the Teachers College Writing Institute. I was lucky enough to get into advanced sections with Carl Anderson and Lucy Calkins, who both pushed my thinking. … Continue Reading Qualities of Good Writing