Conferences and Conversations: Listening to the Literate Classroom

By Douglas Kaufman

Book Overview

It takes courage to open up your professional life to scrutiny, but that's exactly what Linda Rief did when she allowed Doug Kaufman to observe her classroom over the course of a school year. His goal was to discover what exactly Linda does that makes her such an extraordinary teacher - specifically, how she converses with students and promotes their conversations among one another. Conferences & Conversations is a record of what Kaufman learned, presenting insights into Linda's teaching that even she hadn't seen. Conferences & Conversations provides an inside look at Linda in action as she establishes goals, teaches, learns, triumphs, and occasionally stumbles in her efforts to extend her students' literacy. Through Linda's actions, you will discover how a teacher can: offer students more freedom to think, talk, and create and at the same time create a classroom that is organized, efficient, and in control set up your classroom and procedures in ways that promote better, more effective conversations among students move beyond formulaic practices and routines that inhibit individualized and productive conferences become a better listener and encourage more student talk in conferences encourage students to work productively on their own, while you confer with other students.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0325002711
• ISBN13: 9780325002712
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Heinemann Educational Books
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.1" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 6 to 10

Customer Reviews

A framework for conferencing

Conferencing with students about their work is the most effective way to move students' writing, but running conferences can be elusive. Reading this book is like ease dropping into Linda's conferences with her students. We leave gaining a framework of how to conduct effective conferences and best-practices of conferring with young adults. If you can bear the slow first few chapters, you'll be blessed with great transcripts of different conferences in latter chapters.