2014 - 2015 Newlon Elementary Conferring with Students using CCSS and Questioning

1. 2014 - 2015Newlon ElementaryConferring with Students using CCSS and Questioning By: Sarah Kalicak

2. What did I do in my classroom and with my team during the course of the PDU? CONFERRING: Have discussions; share opinions In my classroom, I implemented different forms on conferring across content areas. I created conferring notebooks with students which allowed them to record what their next steps are and use as a reminder when working. I also used a conferring cheat sheet and recording form to record my conversation with students and keep track of student growth.

3. My Reading Journey Conferring in the first month

4. Conferring Notebooks

5. Conferring Cheat Sheets

6. Conferring Recording Form

7. What am I doing to further my own research? I am furthering my own research of conferring by talking with members of my first grade team, as well as other grade level teachers to learn how conferring looks at different levels, and also to learn some creative logistics within reading and writing groups.

8. Research: Conferring at Newlon Kindergarten: LOGISTICSConferring happens mostly during guided reading groups. The teacher will focus on one student while others are reading and also confer with the entire group by giving them a common goal. GOALSGoals may be using beginning sounds and pictures to solve unknown words

9. Research: Conferring at Newlon First GradeLOGISTICSConferring happens during guided reading and writing groups. The teacher may only meet with two guided reading groups and confer with a 1 or 2 students instead of meeting with a third group. The teacher may also meet with a guided reading group and then keep one of the students that she feels would benefit from a conference in that moment.GOALS. Goals Using punctuation in narratives or reading more fluently with expression

10. Research: Conferring at Newlon Intermediate Grades: LOGISTICSConferring happens in place of a guided reading or writing group. GOALSGoals may be choosing different genres to challenge themselves more.

11. More on Conferring Logistics

12. Why is this process important to me and to my growth as a professional? Conferring with students is important to me because it allows me to really, deeply get to know each child as a reader and writer, identify their strengths and areas for growth, and most importantly, it gives me time to give students individual specific feedback to help them improve their skills. Conferring also promotes metacognition.

13. Conferring in ActionWriting with Graziella

14. Conferring in ActionReading with Jasmine

15. What did I learn from the PDU and strategy implementation in my classroom? I learned how important it is for me to get to know my students as a learner and identify their strengths and areas of growth. I now understand the power of having conversations with students instead of talking at them. It promotes self-reflection and allows for more ownership and motivation in improving. I learned how conferring can positively affects readers and writers and help them move from struggling readers to great readers and good writers to outstanding writers.

16. How did this experience impact my work and my students? I feel that my students have improved as readers and writers because of the specific feedback I was able to give them and the time to reflect on their learning. I think having a conversation with students and deciding on a goal together provides students with more ownership of their next steps and thus fosters more motivation. Through data team cycles and summative (interims and DRA2) and formative (daily writing and guided reading notes) assessments, I am obtaining information on how conferring with students is affecting their progress. By asking students what they are working on as a reader/writer, I know if student are reflecting on their learning and using feedback from our conferences to improve their skills.

17. Student Data – Is conferring impactful?

18. Student Data – Is conferring impactful?

19. What are my PD needs for next year in terms of classroom culture and instruction? Next year, I would love to continue our study of conferring, guided reading, and reader’s and writer’s workshop as a whole. I would love to learn more about creative ways to implement reading and writing across content areas I would benefit greatly from meeting vertically with teams to see how our instructional practices can align more

20. How will I use my new learning in the future to further my practice? NEXT YEAR! Confer with student in the first week of school to get to know them as a whole learner as soon as possible. Create goals WITH students and not FOR students. Find a way to confer in math and other content areas Create a schedule that implements conferring in the most effective and efficient way. Create a conferring binder that includes cheat sheets, recording forms, and student data.

21. Exit Ticket 3 things you wish to see in next year’s PDU 1. More vertical team discussions and sharing 2. More creative ways to incorporate reading, writing, and conferring across all content areas, such as math. 3. More differentiated professional development opportunities to meet the individual needs of varying student levelsand teaching styles. 2 things that you took away from the PDU this year 1. I learned what conferring is, why it is important, how to implement it, and what it looks like across grade levels. I learned how students’ self-reflection and setting goals with students can help them become better readers and writers and how conferencing is a critical component of reader’s and writer’s workshop. 1 piece of constructive criticism Allow more time for teachers to discuss vertically and within grade levels to share their ideas. This is when I learn the most!