Conferring Blog Book Chat Follow up Part 2

I enjoyed keeping my end of the conversation going to #cyberpd last week, I thought I would do it again this week.  If I was in a physical room with my Conferring Blog Book Chatters for, the conversation would probably go back and forth.  We would probably take turns listening and responding.  We might get excited and talk over each other or speak really fast.  However, we aren't in a room together, we are in #cyberpd!  So, I'm going to share some thinking I've had as I followed comments to my post from yesterday.  It was so exciting to know other's were reading my thinking and took the time to respond.  I really appreciate their efforts.

Cathy (Reflect and Refine) thank you for reminding me K conferences are going to be short and they should be short.  I that is part of my internal struggle after five years in third grade.  Teaching and learning is not always about length of time.  I also love the idea and know I want to be up conferring during our independent reading time.  My small group work is going to be at a different time this year.  Rethinking we are together.

Debf (Primary Perspective) It's so nice to know I have a cheering section who believes I will strike a balance.  We all need encouragement and support within our teaching.  I'm also wondering if conferring is something I could blog or write about during the year with K.  I think there might be an opportunity here.

Tony (Atychiphobia)- I didn't know you were married to a first grade teacher.  How lovely.  I think life with 5 and 6 year old children can easily feel like a ridiculous mess some days and that's when you take a step back, rethink and say tomorrow is another day.  :)  Two binders does sound crazy but with two classes and getting older in age, I've found some sanity with my organization to make one group my blue group and the other the red group.  If you don't tell anyone, I even snuck around the building late at night when rooms were being adjusted to swap out my book boxes to have only these two colors.  Believe it or not, I think it helps the kids and parents too. 

Laura (Camp Read A Lot)- It's so nice to know others are thinking about the same things as I am.  I had a conferring session this year where I learned more about the student that I had all year in guided reading.  It was the side by side, one on one time that really taught me what this child needed and showed me he was struggling with something that wasn't showing up in small group instruction.

Jill (My Primary Passion) - Thank you for also thinking we can make a difference when things are short.  They have to be with young students who are figuring out so much about school.  Also, I think your reflection about doing more at the end of the year shows growth within a classroom reading workshop community.  We always want growth and rigor!

Thank you Blog Book Chatters, I can't wait til next week!