When my oldest daughter was four, she went through a dinosaur phase. All dinosaurs, all the time; it was impossible to discuss anything else. Throughout the year, we traveled as a family and she learned to read. Slowly, her interests began to broaden and develop, and now at the age of nine, while she is still fascinated by dinosaurs, she has an open mind about new information. New experiences and ideas allowed her to explore and, ultimately, find an appreciation for varying topics. Mini Lesson Framework: The same is true in our classrooms because students cannot think critically about nothing. Even in a learner-centered classroom, the teacher fills the critical…

I can’t clone you. I know you have 30 (sometimes more) kids in your class at a time and spending even 5 minutes with each individually would take an entire week of instructional time. What I can tell you, without reservation, is this time investment is worth it. Countless studies (especially the work of John Hattie) highlight the positive impact timely, specific feedback has on student self-efficacy and achievement. Even with this knowledge, finding the time to implement conferences remains a challenge. If you have spent any time thinking about student conferences, you have already come to realize that they must be brief – typically 3 to 5 minutes. A…