IMPROVING
PARTNER
WORK AND
CONFERRING
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.
WHY 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
PREDICTABLE
CHALLENGES
We want
Academic
Partners
not
Parallel
Play
WHO 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
•________________________
•________________________
WHAT 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
THE CHAMP PLAN
FOR
PROCEDURAL ROUTINES
Conversation: Can students talk to each other?
When? How loud? To whom?
 Help: What do students do if they need help?
Who and how do they ask?
 Activity: Exactly what will students do? What
will the end product look like?
 Movement: What type of movement is permitted?
What will the movement look like?
 Participation: What does the students’ behavior
look like while they are participating?

Suggestions for Sharing:
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

Charts
WHEN 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
•
•
•
•
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR
CONFERRING
• Effective mini-lessons have an
impact on conferences
• Post It
• Assignment Box
LET’S HEAR FROM MATT…
Structure on a conference:
• Research
• Name strength
• Decide on Teaching Point
composition/conventions/process
• Teaching
mentors: published, teacher, student
TEACHING IN A CONFERENCE
NUDGING KIDS TO THE NEXT STEP
Telling,
reminding,
correcting…
Oral Rehearsal
How talk becomes the text…
ENVISIONING
LET’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.
CONFERRING TIPS & TRICKS
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.
CONFERRING KIT
CONFERRING NOTES
WHAT 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.
FAMILY LITERACY NIGHT
UPDATE!
PRIZES!