I MPROVING P ARTNER WORK AND C ONFERRING IN OUR CLASSROOMS Ruth Cerna Carolyn Kaiser Discovery Feb. 3, 2016 *PRIMARY draw picture from PRIMARY basket *INTERMEDIATE draw picture from INTERMEDIATE basket Please find YOUR partner and sit with your partner.

Tell your partner about a time you achieved something of importance to you.

Explore the benefits of academic partnerships and conferring Explore strategies to manage predictable challenges in partnerships Explore strategies to develop sustainable conferring practices. Develop 1 strategy to begin or improve academic student partnerships and, develop 1 strategy to begin or improve conferring with student writers.

1:45 Whole group 2:00 Split! K-2 stay in library with Ruth Grades 3-5 to classroom #24 3:30 Whole Group return to library. Sit with your original partner for sharing.

W HY EVEN DO IT ? *Provides a relevant audience *Increases accountability and independence *Gives students feedback other than yours *Increases exposure to writing ideas *Gives kids conversation opportunities

What the student can do in cooperation today, he can do alone tomorrow. -Vygotsky

P REDICTABLE C HALLENGES

We want Academic Partners not Parallel Play

W HO SHOULD BE PARTNERS ?

Wanted: Writing Partner Writer Seeks Writing Partner Who… (Think of the most important qualities) Is a good listener Is honest Likes to laugh Uses kind words Challenges me to be a better writer Is patient Is confident about editing Will support me Will help with ideas Will let me know what details are missing Stays on task ___________________________ As a Writing Partner, I promise to… (Check the things you promise to do every day) Come prepared Be respectful Help with ideas Listen Be honest, yet kind Support you and your writing Stay on task ________________________

W HAT IF THEY DON ’ T GET ALONG ?

When are they together? “What the child can do in cooperation today, he can do alone tomorrow” –Lev Vygotsky

T HE C HAMP P LAN FOR P ROCEDURAL R OUTINES C onversation: Can students talk to each other? When? How loud? To whom? H elp: What do students do if they need help? Who and how do they ask? A ctivity: Exactly what will students do? What will the end product look like? M ovement: What type of movement is permitted? What will the movement look like? P articipation: What does the students’ behavior look like while they are participating?

S or T can read excerpts of their writing which demonstrate a particular strategy or quality of good work Ss can talk to a partner about how the writing work is going or about the strategies they’ve used to accomplish a particular goal Ss can meet with a partner to plan tomorrow’s writing work T can share a successful conference that would benefit all writers T can highlight partners that worked well together and teach the other students how they can do that same work Suggestions for Sharing:

Charts

W HEN WILL YOU TEACH THIS WORK AND HOW ?

CONFERRING WITH WRITERS

Carl Anderson says conferences: are a conversation have a point have a predictable structure include roles for both teacher & student show students we care about them

L AYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR CONFERRING Effective mini-lessons have an impact on conferences Post It Assignment Box

L ET ’ S HEAR FROM M ATT … Structure on a conference: Research Name strength Decide on Teaching Point composition/conventions/process Teaching mentors: published, teacher, student

T EACHING IN A CONFERENCE N UDGING KIDS TO THE NEXT STEP Telling, reminding, correcting…

Oral Rehearsal How talk becomes the text…

E NVISIONING

L ET ’ S LOOK AT YOUR STUDENTS ’ WRITING 1.Research – look for strengths 2.Decide on a teaching point 3.Tell your partner which mentor text you might use and why.

C ONFERRING T IPS & T RICKS Try a fish bowl! Make the process transparent to kids. 3, 2, 1… Short on time? Try conferring with 3 kids, then a pair, then 1 student. 6 kids in one day! Confer with students throughout each phase of the writing process.

C ONFERRING K IT

CONFERRING NOTES

W HAT ARE YOU STILL WONDERING ABOUT ?

Explore the benefits of academic partnerships and conferring Explore strategies to manage predictable challenges in partnerships Explore strategies to develop sustainable conferring practices. Develop 1 strategy to begin or improve academic student partnerships and, develop 1 strategy to begin or improve conferring with student writers.

F AMILY L ITERACY N IGHT U PDATE ! P RIZES !