Conferring

When I confer with young writers I want to teach them a strategy or give them a tool that they can carry with them…. I want to provide turning points in their lives as writers.

— Lucy Calkins
The Art of Conferring

Definition

Conferring is a conversation between the teacher and a student about the writing work the child is
doing. The role of the teacher is to gently nudge the child to grow as a writer.

Teacher Role

Before	During	After
Establishes routines/procedures for conferring Reviews anecdotal records/data on the writer Considers purposes for the conference	Tells students “what we’re doing and why” Listens and considers what the writer is trying to say Seeks information and understanding from the writer Honors what the child has done well Selects and teaches one or two main points	Updates anecdotal records/data Reflects on conferencing for purpose of future planning Checks in to follow up with students during independent writing time

Student Role

Before	During	After
Prepares for conference, as appropriate by age	Understands and communicates “what we’re doing and why” Shares ideas about writing Listens for strategies to become a better writer Asks clarifying questions Talks about next steps	Thinks about strategies from the conference Tries new strategies

Rationale

Honest and purposeful feedback is one of the major ways teachers help students
lift the quality of their work. It is essential that teachers are able to respond to
students thoughtfully about their writing.

Conferences, in fact, constitute an essential component of the literacy workshop
and this non-negotiable structure necessarily has strong implications for many
aspects of classroom life.

— Shelley Harwayne

Writing Through Childhood
Remember, our job in a coaching conference is to run alongside the child as he
or she rides a bike – or rereads, or adds details, or envisions, or listens for the
sounds in words – and to keep the child active and successful.

— Lucy Calkins