Unit 2: Lesson 4: Quick! Jot That Down!
Objectives
- Given note organizers/models, participants will justify which note taking method best fits their needs using their purpose.
- Participants will explain the variety of purposes that anecdotal notes can be used for in the classroom.
Introduction to Lesson 4: Quick Jot That Down!
You’re ALMOST ready to confer! Your toolkit is filled with possible questions and teaching points/skills that are appropriate for the students YOU are working with. While reading with students and leaving them with appropriate teaching points is crucial, your note-taking can be just as important. Notes taken during conferring can serve multiple purposes. For instance, teachers can use conferring notes for report card data evidence, progress monitoring data, and of course to better inform instruction. While it may take a few times of meeting with students to be able to identify trends and gaps (on a more whole-class level), these notes will eventually come in handy!
Gravity Goldberg and Renee Houser (2017) shared some excellent thoughts on the importance of conferring notes. In their article, the authors share that “When we read our notes, notice patterns, and identify students’ current thinking, we have all the information we need for responsive teaching. Rather than paging through teacher manuals, searching online, or playing what feels like Pin the Tail on the Donkey by guessing what your students need next, you can use what you already uncovered about your student readers to hit the mark. We do most of our planning for tomorrow’s teaching in the moment of sitting with our students in conferences. Right after a conference, jot down what the reader would benefit from learning next” (Goldberg & Houser, 2017, p.1).
In this lesson, you’ll view several conferring notes pages that can be downloaded and/or adapted for use in your classroom. You’ll see templates of how other K-5 teachers organize their notes and later discuss how notes can be beneficial for a multitude of purposes. After viewing the samples, please be sure to download and test out note-taking methods for your own classroom!
Ready, Set, Learn!
Click the link below to access and download a short PowerPoint lesson where you’ll explore different types of conferring notes! At the end of your lesson, YOU will earn free, editable conferring notes templates that can be used or adapted to fit your classroom conferring needs. Be sure to look at how templates and utilized and be thinking…What would MY ideal conferring notes look like? Why am I collecting notes? How would I use these notes?
Let’s Learn!
File:Slattery-Reading Conferring for the K5 Classroom- Lesson 4.pptx
Free Resource Alert! Below you will find conferring notes templates that you can use in your classroom!
File:Slattery- Reading Conferring in the K5 Classroom- Lesson 4- Conferring Notes.docx
Reflection
Click the link below to contribute to the Lesson 4 Discussion Forum. Please feel free to use any of the free conferring notes templates listed above in this lesson, or your own template found online or created by YOU!
Assignment:
Part 1: Upload a picture of the conferring notes page you chose or plan to use for your classroom.
Part 2: In regards to your choice of conferring notes page, respond to the following questions…
- How will you plan to use the conferring notes you take? What purpose will they serve?
- What questions do you still have about taking conferring notes?
Talk:Unit 2: Lesson 4: Quick! Jot That Down!
Lesson 4 References
Goldberg, G. & Houser, R. (2017). 4 ways to use conferring notes like a pro. We Are Teachers. Retrieved from https://www.weareteachers.com/ways-to-use-conferring-notes/
Page Links
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