Now Online: Conferring by Patrick Allen
October 2009
Conferences are an invaluable way to get to know your students as readers. But how can you find the time? Do you need to meet with every student daily? What questions should you ask and what notes should you take?
In his new book, Conferring, Patrick Allen writes with passion and conviction about the importance of reading conferences to the success of reader's workshop, and calls on years of experience honing his conferring skills in the classroom to guide teachers toward more purposeful conferences that inform instruction.
After debunking common misconceptions about conferring, Patrick proceeds to outline the key outcomes and guiding principles of good reading conferences. You'll discover how to create the right environment for conferring -- one that's rich in trust, ownership, and independence. And you'll get a specific, predictable structure for side-by-side conferences that actively involves the student, balances the teacher's and student's voice, builds skills and strategies, and sets a plan for the next conference. Sample forms and checklists help you manage record-keeping and note-taking, and a Q&A section addresses common dilemmas.
Conferring is filled with classroom anecdotes, dialogue, student samples, and questions that will prompt reflection and challenge your thinking. It will not only help you structure and improve your conferences, but it will also show you how to cultivate a culture of thinking grounded in rigor, inquiry, and intimacy.
You can now preview the entire book and pre-order your copy, which will ship early next month.
Read more about Patrick Allen.
