1. By: Carl Anderson Presentation by: Jana and Jordan
How’s it Going?
By: Carl Anderson
Presentation by: Jana and Jordan

2. Who is Carl Anderson?
Carl Anderson is a literacy consultant (works with elementary/secondary schools in US and Canada).
Author of Assessing Writers and How's It Going?.
Worked for eight years at the renowned Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University.
Was an elementary and middle school teacher in the Bronx, in Kentucky, and Illinois.

3. Book Overview The writing conference dynamic
Who and what is involved?
Conversations vs. Conferences
How to approach the conference
Methods
Relationships
The “Build-up”
Being consistent and following up

4. The Structure Of A Writing Conference
What Are Conferences?
The Structure Of A Writing Conference
Conversation about the work the child is doing as a writer
Conversation about how the child can become a better writer

5. THE TEACHER’S ROLE IN A CONFERENCE
In the first part of the conversation:
Invite the student to set an agenda for the conference
Get on a line of thinking about the student’s writing work by asking research questions and reading the student’s writing
Decide what to teach the student
In the second part of the conversation:
Give the student critical feedback
Teach the student
Nudge the student to have-a-go
Link the conference to the student’s independent work

6. THE STUDENT’S ROLE IN A CONFERENCE
In the first part of the conversation:
Set the agenda for the conference by describing her writing work
Respond to her teacher’s research questions by describing her writing work more deeply
In the second part of the conversation:
Listen carefully to her teacher’s feedback and teaching
Ask questions to clarify and depend her understanding of her teacher’s feedback and teaching
Have-a-go with what her teacher taught her
Commit to trying what her teacher taught her after the conference

7. FIRST THE STUDENT IS IN THE LEAD ROLE… Student Teacher
Sets agenda for conference by describing her writing work
Teacher
Listens carefully to what the students say about her writing work; asks questions to clarify and deepen his understanding of the student’s work
THEN THE TEACHER IS IN THE LEAD ROLE…
Pursues a line of thinking about the student’s writing work by asking questions and reading the student’s writing
Shares his assessment of the student’s writing work
Helps the student learn to do her writing work better
Responds to her teacher’s questions
Listens carefully to the assessment; ask questions to clarify and deepen her understanding of the assessment
Tries to figure out how to do her work better, or listen carefully to what the teacher says about how to do her work better

8. EXAMPLES OF THE KINDS OF WORK THAT WRITERS DO WHEN THEY COMPOSE PIECES
When writers have this intention…
They might use one of these strategies…
Find an idea to write about
Free-writing
Look around and let objects spark ideas
Figure out the focus for a piece
Ask themselves, “What’s the thing I really want to say about my subject to readers?”
Organize a draft
Study the structure of a model piece
Make a flow chart of the piece
Write an ending
Study the endings of several model pieces
Brainstorm several endings and pick the one that works best
Add information to a draft
Read the piece to someone and add information that person wants to know
Draw a picture of what they’re writing about to help them think of what else they could say
Edit their drafts
Read their pieces out loud to themselves
Read their pieces out loud to someone else

9. Some Tips…

10. Conversational Strategy
Gives Support To
We Might Say…
Redirect
Students who talk about the content of their writing instead of their writing work
“Your mom is really interesting. So what are you doing as a writer today?”

11. Conversational Strategy
Gives Support To
We Might Say…
Reflect and Pause
Students who have some facility with talking about their writing work
“So your writing is going okay…”
“I see…”
Show and Describe
“Why don’t you show me what you’ve been working on today, and describe what you’re doing?”
Refer Back to the Last Conference
“Last time we talked you were working on your lead. Where are things now?”
Name What I’ve Observed
“I saw you were crossing out a section of your draft. Can you tell me what’s going on?”

12. Conversational Strategy
Gives Support To
We Might Say…
Take a Tour
Students who need a lot of support with talking about their writing work.
“I’m going to take a look at your draft, and describe what I think you’re doing as a writer today.”
Suggest Options
“So what are you doing as you draft-are you working on dialogue or internal thinking?”

13. Conversational Strategy
Gives Support To
We Might Say…
Amplification
Students who need a demonstration of how to use writing discourse
“Oh, I see. You’re using carets to add words to your draft.”
“So you’re suing a circular structure to organize your memoir.”
Ask for clarification
Students who need practice using writing discourse
“Could you explain what you mean by stretching your writing?”

14. Matchmaker, Matchmaker
“When we are successful in showing students how to learn from writing mentors, we teach students how to teach themselves” (110)
Assemble a collection of texts – have an affect, well crafted, reflect our students, variety of genres
“Ask” the mentor for feedback – comparing student writing to author mentor’s
Teaching students who have a mentor vs. teaching students who don’t

15. Laying the Groundwork for Conferences
Lay the foundation with mini-lessons – give students information, persuade students to adopt writing agendas, allows students to try things out (inspire and enable)
Architecture of a mini-lesson – structure should remain constant day to day
Keep mini-lessons from turning maxi
Mini-lessons
Connect
Teach
Encourage a have-a-go
Link to student writing

16. Decisions, Decisions
We need to choreograph our conferences long before we try to implement them
Where? (neutral space)
What tools? (note taking, record keeping)
What do students need?
At what point in the writing process? (“fix ups” vs. ongoing)
Who initiates?
How much time? (3-8 min)
20-30 conferences a school year – is it enough? More one on one instruction than most get in their entire academic career

17. “What Are All the Other Students Doing?”
Classroom management
Envision the workshop
Transition from mini-lesson to writing
Circulate
Have materials ready
What will students be doing?
Teach independence (for sustained periods of time)
Inform students of other places the can go for help/strategies to solve problems
Develop a repertoire of diagnostic questions
Are students invested in their pieces? Do students make plans and set goals? Do students have access to materials? Am I a gatekeeper? Is my presence felt around the room?

18. To Summarize… Build systems of relationships
Establish teacher-student boundaries.
Conversations vs. Conferences
Don’t showcase your skills
Avoid the traps…confidence, direction, planning (organization), intention and follow-through.

19. The End
“To confer well, we need to be affected by students, and them by us. We need to be in love for the first time.” (193)