Conferring With Writers Part II March 28, 2007

“ ’Choice leads to voice,’ literacy consultant John Poeton says when talking about writing. We know that young writers work best when they feel a sense of ownership – personal investment – in their writing. We want them to care about their writing, to have a this-really-matters-to-me feeling as they write.”

If you write it, so will they… Last time we wrote one of the stories of our lives. Share those stories with your students as models of writing. When you confer with students use your own experiences as a writer.

“Even if writing isn’t your strongest suit, you can use your writing as a model for your students. At the same time, you send a powerful message: we’re all writers. We’re in this together.” -Ralph Fletcher

Reflections Presentation last month gave an overview of the parts of a writing conference. How many of you returned to classrooms and tried the format of research, decide, teach, and link? Where are you now in your writing workshop development?

Tips for making your conferences more successful Get the student involved If you are out of ideas, just tell the student what the reading does for you Don’t make the conference a power struggle Know your tastes, and make sure they don’t play too big a part in your conference

Strategies to try In a mini-lesson, ask students to reread their writing and put an asterisk next to the place in their text where the writing works well. Ask them to put a circle in the margin next to the place where the writing needs more work. Later, when you confer, you can go straight to the place the student has marked. Read the writer’s writing aloud to them and offer a perspective for what the writing does for you as a reader. Do not tell them what to fix, but offer the perspective of a reader and allow them to hear their own writing read aloud. (I love the part where you…Later, when you said…I got a bit confused because…)

Conferring Ideas for K-1 Adding details to a drawing Adding words to a drawing Using the “two finger rule” Adding a second page (or more) Including a beginning, middle, and end

Conferring Ideas for 2 nd – 4 th Focusing in on the most important part Breaking a large topic into manageable “chunks” Cutting and taping to add information Anticipating readers’ questions Sharpening a lead

What about skills? Editing and grammar skills have to be a part of any writing program, but how do you incorporate them into writing workshop? In your grade level tables, we are going to do just that!

Grade Level Work Sit with others at your grade level Make a list of writing errors you see your students make Include errors in grammar, punctuation, content, and organization of the writing

Which of the errors require a whole class mini-lesson? Which ones could you just work on with a few students?

Planning and Organizing When looking at student writing, consider:  Is this a mistake that just this student keeps making?  Is this a mistake that a small group of my students continually make?  Is this a mistake that many of my students are making?  Is this a mistake that I need to focus on in the curriculum at my grade level?

Many ways to group and teach One to One conferences for those skills that only a few kids need and they seem to need it individually Guided writing group for those skills that a small group of your students seem to continually miss. Whole group mini-lesson for those skills that many of your students are missing

Keys to Success Have students apply the editing skill in their own writing, not only on isolated skill exercises. Work on skills that are grade appropriate and in your GLEs and Curriculum

How does it really work? Sit down with your grade level expectations and your curriculum. Make a list in a single column on a blank sheet of paper of the language skills that are important for your grade level and a part of your curriculum. Copy one checklist for each student.

Continued… Four times a year, sit down with your student’s writing folders and the checklist for each student. Also record informally throughout the year. Put a yes in the box if the skill is demonstrated by the student in the writing samples, an S if it is demonstrated inconsistently, and leave the box blank if you don’t see it.

When curriculum comes straight out of a textbook, we have the assurance that we’ve covered the necessary material. But this assurance is misleading, if not false. Yes, you can test these skills in isolation, but that doesn’t tell you very much. It’s like coaching soccer – sure the kids can trap the ball and kick a goal during practice drills, but can they do it in the game itself? You don’t know until you see the kids actually play. -- Ralph Fletcher

Grade Level Work In your grade level tables, look at your GLEs and curriculum. Make your language checklist of the skills that you need to assess in students at your grade level. Create a grid that you can use next year to incorporate language instruction into writing workshop.

Ultimately, our teaching must be guided by our students. Listen to them. Watch them write. Try to figure out what blocks their writing fluency. Watch where the class energy falters or soars. Be flexible enough to revise your own teaching to respond to the needs of these novice writers. --Ralph Fletcher