Talking about writing

Streaming video - 2014

In this two-part series we revisit Bailey's Elementary school on the outskirts of Washington, DC, to watch and listen as accomplished teachers of students in grades 3 through 5 confer with students about their writing. Program 1, The Essentials of conferring, covers a range of topics, including active listening, knowing your writers, management, predictable problems, and peer conferences. Program 2, Refining your conference skills, takes teachers deeper into the writing conference and shows how to help students build a "writer's toolbox," connect writing conferences to other parts of the workshop, raise the bar in a conference, and push your own learning by working with your colleagues. Taken together, these two programs... comprise an invaluable tool for becoming a more skillful writing teacher. About the author: Ralph Fletcher is a friend of writing teachers everywhere. Born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, he received his bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College and his master's degree from Columbia University. A former member of the Teachers College Writing Project, he is currently an author and consultant. He is the author or coauthor with his wife, JoAnn Portalupi, of numerous professional books and videos. Ralph speaks at national conferences around the United States and abroad. He also conducts his own one-day seminars and does occasional author visits to schools. JoAnn Portalupi likes to introduce herself as a mother, teacher, writer, and artist. Each of these roles informs the work she does in the field of teaching writing. She began her career in education as a fourth-grade teacher in Epsom, New Hampshire. Since then she has worked in education as a classroom teacher, a staff developer at Teachers College Writing Project, a university professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and most recently as an independent consultant. JoAnn is also the co-author with her husband, Ralph Fletcher, of numerous professional books and videos. more