Ed Surge – Michayla Bell
“In my classroom, sometimes conferencing is a formal interaction—something I plan for in advance with a particular student. These scheduled conferences give me the chance to “talk data” with my kindergarteners. I usually hold them monthly after each curriculum-based benchmark assessment. During these 5-minute check-ins, I meet with each student individually to discuss their progress and any areas for growth, and I give each student an opportunity to share how they think they did on the benchmark and why. Over the course of the year, they learn to verbalize their reasoning. “It was hard because there were words I couldn’t read” or “This time, I was able to sound out most of the words.” More often though, I find myself engaging with students one-to-one in unplanned moments when they need support, taking a student to the side and providing guidance when they need it.” (more)