Victoria Anderson
Materials: example of conference sign up sheet
Time Required: approximately 15 minutes
Purpose of Mini Lesson: This mini lesson is to show students how a teacher conference will go and be made in the class dealing with the writer’s workshop. Students need to know exactly how to do this before they are expected to perform it on their own.
Activity: The teacher is going to make an example of what a student needs to do in order to have a writing conference with the teacher. Students will be shown the correct way to sign up and will be informed of what they need to have ready for their conference. The teacher does a role-play, using a student to play her and she will be the student. The roles will be switched and shown in reverse order.
Script: Okay class, as you know, this year we will be involved in the writer’s workshop program. During this workshop you will be asked to have several different conferences about your writing. Some conferences will be with your peers and on each writing assignment you will conference with me privately. During our conference we will discuss your piece and problems you think you are having. I will give suggestions and help in any way I can. To sign up for these conferences is your responsibility. There will be a sign up sheet in the conference area at all times. I would like you to please sign up the day before in order for me to know who I will be meeting with and review what you have written. So now, I am going to be the student, and (name someone) will be me and we will show you what to do. (The teacher then goes and signs up for her conference meeting. Tell your students what your are doing with each step.) Conference time. I will have my paper ready and thought and ideas written down ready to talk about with the teacher. (Role-play the most important parts of the conference).
This is how you sign up for a conference. These are the things that you must have with you to make our conference successful. We will work together to make the best of your writing.