Giving Compass' Take:

• Conferencing one-on-one with kindergarten students to try and understand their barriers in reading gives them the space to articulate their problems to the teacher and offers a time for working on improving those skills. 

• How can this approach work in other grade levels? How would it work with children who are more reserved, shy and don't want to necessarily discuss their problems? 

• Learn about other progressive teaching styles, such as helping students learn to be more empathetic. 

In my classroom, sometimes conferencing is a formal interaction—something I plan for in advance with a particular student. These scheduled conferences give me the chance to “talk data” with my kindergarteners.

I usually hold them monthly after each curriculum-based benchmark assessment. During these 5-minute check-ins, I meet with each student individually to discuss their progress and any areas for growth, and I give each student an opportunity to share how they think they did on the benchmark and why.

Over the course of the year, they learn to verbalize their reasoning. “It was hard because there were words I couldn’t read” or “This time, I was able to sound out most of the words.”

More often though, I find myself engaging with students one-to-one in unplanned moments when they need support, taking a student to the side and providing guidance when they need it.   For young learners, one-on-one conferences throughout the year can be a powerful tool that goes beyond academics.

Teaching kindergarteners is a uniquely special, yet complex opportunity. Most five and six-year olds have imaginations that run wild, creativity that flows constantly and a great enthusiasm for learning. But there are also challenges that make conferencing with this age group difficult. Attention spans are still developing and students enter the classroom with a diverse set of readiness skills.

These scheduled and unplanned conversations can help our youngest learners feel safe and supported so they can build confidence, and can help them develop self-reflection and communication skills that will prepare them to advocate for themselves as they grow.

Read the full article about conferencing with kindergartners by Michayla Bell at EdSurge