Conversing about Conferring: #cyberPD

The Nudge

My good friend Cathy over at Reflect and Refine graciously bullied me into joining her #cyberPD blog conversation about Patrick Allen's book Conferring: The Keystone of Reader's Workshop.  Maybe bullying isn't the right way to describe how I got the itch to join her group, but here is how I now imagine the sequence.

... late one night trolling through my Twitter feed I spot a tweet that leads me to Cathy's blog.  I read through the post and think "nice idea, but I am a little busy right now.   Then for the next three to four days I hear Cathy's voice in the back of my mind, "C'mon Tony, you should do this with us ... All the cool kids are doing it ...  just read a little, post a comment, ...  AND SUDDENLY I AM 35 PAGES INTO THE BOOK AND TWEETING "CATHY, I'M IN!"

The Thinking While Reading

As I read the first section of Patrick's book, there wasn't much that particularly challenged me, but there were many moments that made me think, "why haven't I considered this yet?" or "thank you very much for reminding me of things I have forgotten."  Some of these moments included:

1) Patrick's question near the beginning of, "What emerges from a conference?"

2) Patrick's repetitive usage of the idea of wisdom.  "What does it take to be a wise reader?"

3) The idea of looking into a classroom and asking, "Would I want my child to be in this room?"

4) The expliciness Patrick uses with his students when he shares why he, as the teacher does something.

5) The idea of being more open to a colleague coming into observe your teaching, or trying to observe a colleague teaching.

I think the main reason the first part of Conferring was more affirmation than anything else was that for quite some time, reader's workshop (specifically the part of the workshop that Patrick would describe as composing time) has been one of the few nonnegotiables in my room.  We read and confer everyday.  Even on the crazy days with assemblies, fire drills or standardized testing.  Thirty to forty minutes of every day in our room is spent on students reading while I am conferring with them.  I honestly wouldn't know what to do if conferring were not present in my reader's workshop.

The Reflecting

I loved Patrick's writing style and since I have met him, I kept hearing his voice as I read.  I loved that Patrick posed "ponderings" all through the book.  It was like Patrick was right there launching a thought grenade into my brain.  Most of these, like Cathy's bullying, made me slow down to consider more deeply the things I need to become stronger at doing.  So after some reflection and some connecting I have decided to dig deep and ...

1) Slow down.  An underlying current in the first three chapters was the idea of taking the time to purposefully build something that will last.  On page 92, Patrick wraps up his ashlar metaphor with the idea of looking at buildings that have stood the test of time compared to building that are falling apart way to soon.  Those that endure are the ones that are built to endure.  In this current era of accountability gone wild, I have been guilty of rushing too quickly in the name of coverage.  I need to slow down.

2) Observe more intently.  Like most good storytellers, Patrick is a master at careful observation.  It was easy to tell that whether he is teaching, conversing with a colleague or listening to his students that Patrick works hard at being there in the moment and observing carefully.  Much of the time I spent reading this book, I was making connections to various other lessons I have learned recently.  And one theme seems to be emerging.  Observe with intention and purpose.

3) Trust the lessons from your mentors.  I have spent the last 3-4 years becoming more immersed in the possibilities of technology.  I love my gadgets, I love infusing tech into the classroom and I think that we, as teachers, are irresponsible if we don't try to incorporate tech into our classrooms.  I have always struggled with the purpose of using certain tools.  Are we giving children a new platform to show what they know or are we doing stupid things that look cool.  Throughout the first 90 pages, many of the people who have influenced Patrick's thinking (Debbie Miller, Katie Wood Ray, Mem Fox, Franki Sibberson, Cris Tovani) have been huge mentors for me as well.  Interestingly enough, none of the works I have read by these authors are filled with blogs, wikis or podcasts.  Their lessons are about helping students become more intentional about the craft of reading and writing.  By no means am I going to shun the use of technology, but I think Patrick's references to all these fabulous teachers subtly reminded me that it is ok to question the use of tech for just the sake of doing something shiny and new.  I need to remember and honor my roots as I push forward.

Thanks Cathy, Jill and Laura for hosting this #cyberPD event.  I look forward to reading posts by other thinkers and the discussions that will emerge from our collective reading.

 

Later, 

Tony

Comments

[Jill Fisch]

Tony,

Fantastic reflection. I, too, was worried about having the time to participate in this conversation but I am glad that I pushed myself to join in. I have loved reading all of the reflections today. What resonated with me the most from your post was your resolution to slow down. I need to work on slowing down in my day to just let the learning "soak in". It is hard to do in the moment but I think it will be worth the effort.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Jill

[Laura Komos]

Thanks for sharing your hilarious yet very insightful thoughts on Conferring! I love your three points and agree wholeheartedly that I need to trust in what I know to be true about children and learning. Taking the time to observe, confer, and listen to my mentors (and Twitter peeps) is going to be key for me!
~Laura :)

[Tony Keefer]

Laura and Jill,
Thanks for stopping by today. I have resolved to focus on the 3 things I wrote about today, but I know there will be times that I will flounder or fail. But as Laura hinted at, hopefully my mentors and PLN will help pick me up and get back on the right track.
Tony

[Cathy Mere]

Tony,
I learned to "bully" from some of the best. Now that I know your weakness --- and that peer pressure works ---- I will continue my relentless quest to hear more from you. I have to tell you how much I enjoy reading your writing. Honestly, it really doesn't matter what you write about (no insult intended). You have such voice and, of course, I always find myself laughing here and there along the way. Having been in your classroom, and knowing you for so long, I know Reader's Workshop is a nonnegotiable for you. I'm looking forward to hearing more of your thoughts about conferring in the weeks to come. (Yes, that is a shameless attempt to bully you into continuing to participate.)

Cathy

[Carwilc]

OK, I have finished laughing about the bullying (if I am ever a bully, I certainly hope I am a gracious one!) and so now I can respond to your post. Like you, I think a lot of what Patrick wrote about was more affirmation than new thinking for me. Like you, I have read and relied heavily on most of Patrick's mentors for years. I was really struck, however, by the refinement and sophistication of his language, and by the kind of responses that language evokes from kids. The metaphors Patrick used and the metaphors the kids used blew me away. I couldn't come up with most of those on a great day, and he had eight year olds using them on a regular basis!

[Mandyrobek]

Tony, I loved the phrase wise reader from Patrick too! I also appreciated your own reflection about technology, using it, and staying true to our roots/mentors. It's so nice to have a support systems who equally enjoys reading all these great mentors and trying to do our best day to day.

[Tony Keefer]

Cathy, Carol and Mandy,
Thanks for stopping by and adding to my thinking. All of you are part of "my support system" and I am having so much fun being bullied into sharing more. Being able to add more purpose to my reading of Conferring has been a great experience. With each blog I visit or each comment I read, my thinking is either affirmed, challenged or slightly revised. All of which are wondrous.
Tony

[Chris Rayner]

Tony - Your post gives me so much to think about, but two points really ring true for me. 1) the idea of slowing down. I'm charged with helping students to catch up with their reading peers, but I'm guilty of not setting purpose for what we're planning to accomplish. I tend to jump in, full speed ahead, but it's time to change that. Deep, meaningful instruction beats rushing through the curriculum any day.
2) when it comes to technology, "Are we giving children a new platform to show what they know or are we doing stupid things that look cool," is my new mantra as I help my colleagues incorporate technology into their classrooms.
Thanks for your thoughts! I'm glad Cathy was able to bully you into joining!
Chris

[Frazierde]

Tony~
I too find myself on a wonderful journey as the result of the wonderfully reflective and refined, Cathy (aka, peer pressure). Fortunately, Cathy IS a reflective & refined person so any "peer pressure" from her is MOST welcomed!
I am starting this journey with reading blogs; my book arrived late yesterday evening! Your post was so fun to read your voice and personality are evident!
I too have been expanding my "tech sense" this year. I am constantly asking myself "How does this tool support what we are doing? How does it make it better?" I can't stand those meetings (and we have all been in them) when someone says, "We need to use the computers, how can we use X here?" Shouldn't the question be "The kids are_____, you know what would help them take their learning further? Insert appropriate tech tool. As you said Tony, I hope we all continue to honor our roots as we push forward!

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawlJ53gL3uzSdcJV5zi6LtXV7IoPI2yoSig]

"...one of the few nonnegotiables in my room. We read and confer everyday." ME, TOO!
.
"1) Slow down.
2) Observe more intently.
3) Trust the lessons from your mentors."

Have you been poking around in my brain? Seems like these three points were written straight from my thinking.

1. I tend to rush; I want to get to the middle of the year in the first nine weeks. Remembering to slow down is something I need to do at the beginning of each year.
2. My husband can tell you I am perhaps the most UN-observant person known to man. My best friend could pass me in the grocery store, but I am too focused on the task at hand to notice. I tend to do this in the classroom as well. I am so focused on the skill/task to notice a more subtle teachable moment when it comes. I need to observe more intently to teach more effectively.
3. Mentors. Yes. I need to remember to take my mentors into my classroom each day with me.

Thanks, Tony. I enjoyed reading your reflections. -Deb