1. Session 7, Conferring Section 3, Assessment 8 sessions 45 minutes
Considerations for This Session
This is the seventh session in the eight-part Section 3, “Assessment.” Ideally, this session would be offered after most teachers have taught at least the first two units of Being a Writer. During this session, participants will become familiar with the Conference Notes in the Being a Writer program and will consider how to use them to inform subsequent instruction.
Facilitator Materials
“Session 7, Conferring” slide presentation
Being a Writer classroom set for your reference
Participant Materials
Being a Writer Teacher’s Manual
Assessment Resource Book
Access to the CCC ClassView assessment app (optional)
2–3 Student Writing Notebooks from their current unit of instruction
Notebook or journal
Do Ahead
Download the “Session 7, Conferring” presentation from the CCC Learning Hub (ccclearninghub.org) and preview the content, including the commentary in the “Notes” field of each slide.
Familiarize yourself with the CCC ClassView app, if necessary. You should be ready to show participants where and how to access the Conference Notes using the app.
Set up the necessary equipment (computer/projector, screen, speakers, etc.).

2. Welcome to Session 7 Session 1, Whole-class Assessments
Session 5, Writing Performance Task Preparation Guide, Part 1
Session 2, Individual Writing Assessment, Part 1
Session 6, Writing Performance Task Preparation Guide, Part 2
Session 3, Individual Writing Assessment, Part 2
Session 7, Conferring
Welcome to Session 7
(1 minute)
Welcome the participants to this Being a Writer professional learning session.
Explain that Section 3, “Assessment,” has eight sessions. Read the slide aloud and indicate that this is Session 7 of the section.
If you are planning to facilitate multiple sessions on the same day, tell the participants that there will be a short break after each session.
Session 4, Grading Practices
Session 8, Skill Practice and Assessment

3. Learning Goals
Become familiar with the Conference Notes in the Being a Writer program.
Consider how to use the information gleaned from individual conferences to inform subsequent instruction.
Learning Goals
(1–2 minutes)
Read the slide aloud.
Explain that during this session, the participants will work with partners and in small groups. Have each participant identify a partner to work with during this session. Establish a signal (such as a raised hand) for coming back together at the end of partner or small-group work.

4. Teacher Conference Notes
Teacher Conference Notes help you confer with individual students during Writing Time.
Read the “Teacher Conferences” section in the Introduction of your Teacher’s Manual.
Find and read the Conference Notes for your current or upcoming unit of instruction in the Assessment Resource Book.
Talk with a partner about how these notes will be helpful to you.
Teacher Conference Notes
(10–12 minutes)
Read the first sentence aloud: Teacher Conference Notes help you confer with individual students during Writing Time.
Ask participants to locate and read the “Teacher Conferences” section in the Introduction of their grade-level Teacher’s Manual.
Allow 3–4 minutes for them to read.
Ask participants to find the Conference Notes in the Assessment Resource Book for their current or upcoming unit of instruction.
Say: Talk with a partner about how these notes will be helpful to you.

5. Teacher Conference Notes (continued)
Locate references to the Conference Notes in your current unit of instruction.
How might the Conference Notes help you focus your instruction? Daily? Weekly? Over the duration of the unit?
Teacher Conference Notes (continued)
(3–5 minutes)
Ask participants to skim through their current or upcoming unit of instruction (whichever they chose on the previous slide) in their Teacher’s Manual to locate and read references to the Conference Notes.
Ask participants to discuss the question on the slide with their partners.
Scan the room; when most partners have finished discussing, signal for their attention.
Ask for volunteers to share what they talked about.

6. Teacher Conference Notes (continued)
Initial conferences are focused on getting to know the students as writers.
Later in the year, the focus shifts to particular aspects of writing you have taught in the lessons.
Teacher Conference Notes suggest questions to guide your thinking as you listen to and read a student’s writing.
The notes provide suggestions for supporting students based on what you noticed.
Conferences focus on reinforcing the teaching from the unit.
Teacher Conference Notes (continued)
(2–3 minutes)
Read the slide aloud.
Transition to the next slide by explaining that they will now spend time practicing the use of both Class Assessment Notes and Teacher Conference Notes.

7. Locate “Conference Notes” Record Sheet
Locate the “Conference Notes” record sheet in your Assessment Resource Book or using the CCC ClassView assessment app.
Consider which of these formats will feel most comfortable for you to try before our next session.
Locate “Conference Notes” Record Sheet
(3 minutes)
Ask participants to locate the ”Conference Notes” record sheet (either in the Assessment Resource Book or using the CCC ClassView app). You may wish to show them how to locate the record sheet in the CCC ClassView app if they have not used it before.
Ask partners to discuss which format they prefer. Let them know that they will use one of these formats to capture their conference notes in preparation for upcoming grade-level meetings.

8. Class Assessment Notes and Teacher Conference Notes Practice
Read through the most recent pieces from their students’ Student Writing Notebooks.
Locate the corresponding unit in your Teacher’s Manual.
Skim through the lesson focuses for the lessons you have already taught in the unit.
Read any Class Assessment Notes and Teacher Conference Notes for the lessons taught.
With a partner, review the student writing and look for evidence of instruction from the unit.
Class Assessment Notes and Teacher Conference Notes Practice
(12–15 minutes)
Ask participants to read through the most recent pieces from their students’ Student Writing Notebooks. Allow 3–5 minutes for them to read the writing.
Ask them to locate the corresponding unit in their Teacher’s Manual.
Explain that they should follow the directions on the slide to first read and think about the focuses of the lessons they have taught so far in the unit, then read any Class Assessment Notes and Teacher Conference Notes for the lessons taught. Finally, after they have familiarized themselves with the lesson focuses and the notes, to work with their partners to review their students’ writing and look for evidence of instruction from the unit.
Scan the room as partners work; when most partners have had the chance to look at a few Student Writing Notebooks, signal for their attention and go to the next slide.

9. Discussion Questions Discuss with your partner:
What evidence do you see of the instruction from the unit?
What are the students struggling with?
What suggestions from the notes might you try?
What will you record to document your thinking:
On the “Conference Notes” record sheet?
On the “Class Assessment Record” sheet?
Discussion Questions
(8–10 minutes)
Read the slide aloud.
Allow 8–10 minutes for partners to talk; then signal for their attention.
Ask for volunteers to share what they talked about with their partners.

10. What questions do you still have? What are your next steps?
End of Session
(2–3 minutes)
Allow time for questions.
This is the end of Session 7. Allow the participants to take a short (5–7 minute) break before continuing to Session 8. If you are facilitating these sessions over multiple meetings, announce the date and time of the next scheduled session and let the participants know what they will need to bring with them to the next session.