Megan Gilbert's Reflection- Graves chap. 12-14

I decided to write my reflection on chapter 14 because it was the most resourceful to me. It was about frequent questions teachers have about writing conferences. These questions were split up into two categories, questions about ancillary, or setting, conferences and conference practice. The ancillary questions consisted of finding time to conference, how often to have them, what the rest of the class should be doing, keeping records, and how the teacher can tell if they are improving in their conferencing. Finding time for conferencing is done by not rushing and allowing the child to do most of the talking. Also, conferencing will become easier and shorter with time and practice. The number and frequency of conferences held varies with each student. The other students in the classroom are writing while the teacher is holding conferences. They are taught at the beginning of the year how to help each other and to not interrupt the teacher. Conference records should be short and simple. The teacher should be able to jot notes down on each child in no more than 15 seconds. Finally, improvement on conferences can be determined through several different techniques. Some of these techniques are tape recordings and video recordings.

The second category was conference practice questions. The first question was about how to start a conference. This is done best by concentrating on the child’s information. The second was about how to shorten conferences. This is done by teaching only one thing each conference. The third was about getting the children to talk more than the teacher. This is done by expecting the child to talk first and by not feeling the pressure of time. The fourth concerns the child realizing their piece needs revision. This is done through lots of questions directed toward the child’s piece. Finally, the fifth was about whether skills can be better taught in a conference or group setting. The book states that skills taught in the conference setting stick more because the child can relate it to their own writing. I enjoyed this chapter because I believe it will be an excellent reference for the future.