Conferring in Writers Workshop

This week for the jigsaw reading I choice the article about writing workshop and conferencing. I choose this because in fifth grade I see this a lot and would like suggestions on way other teachers have made this work. School Talk: Conferring in Writers Workshop was all about hearing student voices in the during writers workshop. It gave key components of conferencing during writing workshop, which include: short conferences, praises, listening to student, teach the writer, student involvement, etc. The main goal was keeping the conversation to the specific students needs and work on their writing, not the writing process.

I would use this approach very much in my classroom and see similar communication going on in my classroom. For instance, parent/teacher conferences are student lead meaning they have to talk about their learning and their work. Writers conferences are a great way for students to talk about their work and knowing what their process was during writing. In my classroom, when we confer with them, we are always asking them "what was your style or techniques or writing?" My mentor teacher said she does this because she wants to know if they understand what they are doing. During conferences, I have a hard time not correcting everything on their papers. Many of my students have grammar errors, spelling errors or fragments in their writing. It has been hard for me to sit back and listen to what they have to say and correct their entire paper.

In my classroom, we have a writing conference journal with a tab being each students name. The mentor teacher and myself are able to keep track of the students writing and there process just like the article stated. As well as Mike in the video had a binder. The binder is not a mystery to the students because we are working on goal setting and improving together, so they are able to see everything that is written in the binder.

One thing the article mentions, is showing your students your own writing. Mike did this on the 5th Grade Writing Workshop as well. This is one thing I have never done but seems like it would work. Showing the students my work would deeper my connection to the students, showing I am a human with a life however a learning experience for both of us. They will have opporutnities to edit or give me ideas of my writing. Another thing that I have learned as a professional, is letting the students talk and seeing what they have to say about their writing. Do not always jump in their with your ideas, let them think.

The article has made me think about viewing my students writing instead of worrying about the writing process. How can I help that specific student improve compared to how can I get the student through this writing process? What can I teach the student that will help all of their pieces and not that specific piece? I do not want to do the writing or work for the students, I just want to guide them in their thinking.