Intentional Conferring–Deciding Whom to Meet With

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Two simple forms combine to make an effective system for deciding whom to meet with and how often.

The first form we check is the calendar. We look to see whom we have made an appointment with and make a mental note to check in with that child or those children first.

Then we consult our Keeping Track Form. This is the form that ensures no one falls through the cracks. 

In What Really Matters in Response to Intervention, Richard Allington says, "The less effective teachers thought that fair meant distributing instruction equally to all students regardless of their needs. The exemplary teachers we studied thought fair meant working in ways that evened out differences between students . . . offering greater amounts of instructional time with the poorest readers in their room." (p. 11)

There are a few options for keeping our most at-risk readers in the forefront of our awareness.

  1. Use a color-coding system to accentuate the different tiers—Tier 1 students green, Tier 2 students yellow, and Tier 3 students red. Barometer children might be highlighted with purple. This serves as a reminder to touch base with them, providing at least six positive interactions per each redirection.
     
  2. Instead of recording children in alphabetical order, list students in order of highest need to lowest need.  Since our eye starts at the top of the page, the students at the top are always sure to receive the most support. 

Once we meet with a student, we record the date in the first empty cell by their name on the Keeping Track sheet. This provides information at a glance. We can immediately see whom we haven't met with in a while, and make their conference a priority. Because we have data recording what transpires during each conference, it is easy to pick up right where we left off, no matter how much time has gone by. 

We use this form to keep track of all our interactions with children.  We record the date if we meet with them one-on-one and when we meet with them in a small group.

Find these and all the other forms you need here

If you love technology, this can be done electronically with self-populating forms through our online Conferring Notebook

 

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