Conferring in math supports students' learning

How do we support all students’ mathematical sense-making and move their thinking forward in the midst of problem solving?

Talking to students about their work, while they work, is a powerful way of supporting learning. We often engage in these conversations with our readers and writers, and... more

In an effective writing workshop, young children grow in leaps and bounds, and within just a few months, the changes in their written products can dazzle you. And after 30 years of studying her students' growth in the writing workshop, Lucy Calkins knows one of the most powerful ways to support good writers: clear, purposeful writing conferences.

In One to... more

How can I get started with conferring or improve my conferences?
How can I fit conferences into my busy writing workshop schedule?
How can conferences help me meet the diverse needs of student writers?

Helping students become better writers is what writing conferences are all about.In A Teacher’s Guide to Writing Conferences, Carl Anderson explains... more

This is by far the best writing on the conference I have read. It is a book that is far superior to the other texts-including my own.
—Donald M. Murray

Our one-on-one talks with students during writing workshop offer us perfect opportunities to zero in on what each student needs as a writer. As Lead Staff Developer for the Teachers... more

Why are reading conferences so important?

What do effective reading conferences look and sound like?

How do I fit reading conferences into my literacy block?

“Conferring,” writes Jennifer Serravallo, “is where the magic happens.” In this primer, she reveals that this seeming magic is actually... more