Reading Conferences and Goals

When you talk to students about their reading you elevate the importance of their effort.Reading becomes a developing skill and not just something you do. When I look at the conference framework that Routman outlines (p. 104-105), the act of talking to a child about something he/she has chosen is very empowering. These questions you would also ask a friend who is reading a book you are interested in. Book selection is personal enough that you are connecting more deeply with the student than you might i other curriculum areas.

My fourth grade class is lead by a teacher who shares her love of literature, talks about books she loves, reads aloud to the class daily and maintains an extensive class library. She is aware of what each child is reading. Half of the class participates in the Global Reading Challenge every year, which introduces the students to a broad sampling of multicultural stories. We read the Weekly reader together with our juice on Fridays.

While this is a wonderful 'readers class', what we have not been able to do is conduct reader's conferences. My master teacher has pointed this out and lamented it, as if she is failing both me, by not demonstrating it, and the kids, by doing it. It is a big class in a small space, with a number of children with special needs (behavioral), who are struggling to work independently. The class is unable to stay on task is such tight quarters long enough for a conference. It is our hope that with a second adult in the room (me), reading conferences will take place.

From the beginning of the year, we have been moving kids into chapter books and setting limits on picture books and graphic novels. The students keep reading logs and keep track of how many minutes they read at home, setting their own or parents goals, if they want. By reading the next more difficult book aloud, my teacher raises expectations. Our daily silent reading at the beginning of the day and daily read alouds before lunch, bookend the morning instructional time.