LIVE WORKSHOP: SATURDAY, APRIL 5TH @ NOON ET
Your ELA conferences aren’t working (and you’re starting to wonder if they ever will).
You want your students to become engaged readers and strong writers, but you’re not sure what to say during the conference to help students get there.
In the Conferences Unlocked: Mastering the Art of Effective ELA Conferences in Middle School workshop, I’ll help you take the guesswork out of conferences so you can feel confident, give meaningful feedback, and help your students grow.
Join me live on SATURDAY, APRIL 5TH @ NOON ET
YES, I NEED THIS!
Get access to the strategies and resources you need effectively implement conferences in your classroom for $337 $28!
Join Me Live on April 5th @ noon ET
You’ve been told ELA conferences are the key to student growth. But your experience has been less than ideal. 🙃
Your students aren’t applying feedback or making progress on their skills. And honestly? Conferences feel like a logistical nightmare.
- You’re not sure what an effective conference looks like, so you’re scrambling and second-guessing yourself.
- Planning and tracking conferences adds more work to your already full plate.
- You give students feedback, but they keep making the same mistakes over and over.
- There is so much happening in your students’ essays that you’re not sure where to focus your feedback.
- You’re lucky to get through three conferences in a class period, and with 30 students, the math just isn’t mathing.
- Meanwhile, the other students treat conferences like social hour and classroom management goes out the window.
- Deep down, you wonder if you're even doing these conferences "right" because nobody ever really showed you how.
You want to be proud when you read your students’ essays. You want students to fall in love with reading. But you’re not sure if ELA conferences are helping students reach those goals…or just adding to your classroom chaos.
If you’re going to put your time and energy into ELA conferences, you want to do them right.
But how do you fit effective conferences into your packed schedule?
- You could keep winging it, squeezing in conferences where there’s extra time and hoping that students take something away from them.
- You can keep experimenting with different strategies, crossing your fingers that one finally works.
- You can stick to group conferences, even though you know 1:1 conferences make the biggest impact (if only there was enough time…).
Or you could use my tried-and-true ELA conference method. I’ll show you how to run effective, stress-free conferences that help your students grow.
Cut down on grading and conference prep (without losing impact).
You have enough to do. Conferences shouldn’t add extra work to your plate (despite what you might have been told).
I’ll show you how to streamline your conferences, so prep takes seconds. Plus, you’ll learn how to use conferences to reduce your grading. Say goodbye to carting essays home on the weekend. 👋
Lead effective conferences that boost student achievement.
Conferences can have big impacts on the way students read and write - but only if you know how to structure them for maximum impact.
I’ll share my reading conference method that gets students to invest in independent reading and makes it easy to track their progress. I’ll also break down my writing conference approach, so you can give students targeted feedback that improves their essays.
Manage student behavior and fit conferences into your busy schedule.
The logistics of conferences can be mind-boggling. How do you conference with every student and keep the rest of the class from spiraling out of control?
I’ll show you how to integrate conferences into your class period (no matter how short or long), so you can make time for each student and focus on the conference - rather than putting out fires.
These resources are a game changer and will save you so much time! But most importantly, it works with my students!!!
I wanted to ease my planning/give me peace and reinvigorate my lessons. I'd say the BIG WIN for me was I ended up with way more time!
The way I used to teach my classes caused a LOT of grading for me-- A LOT! I entered this thinking the first year of using these resources would be a lot of work, but if I kept it up it would be less next year. Well, low and behold! I have more free time! I still have grading, but it is not tons of comprehension questions, short answer questions and THEN essay questions for each chapter/assignment so it takes me LESS time to grade!
Also, my kiddos are not overwhelmed and put more effort into the 'smaller' assignments! Win-win!
Proof it is working: I had to be gone for two weeks after Thanksgiving. It was easier to leave the 'old way' with the sub and students. BIG MISTAKE! They hated it!!! And, I came back to HOURS and HOURS of grading! Worst of all--no effort was seen in most essay-type questions! Never again!
– VAL JONES
The prep, resources, and scaffolding are unmatched. It helps me feel confident in what I am teaching and helps raise the level of rigor. I like the lack of "Googleable" answers!!!!.
I teach in a very small district. I am the only ELA teacher for 6-8 grade. I found some of Martina's resources and they made life so much easier being scaffolded for all 3 grades! After finding these resources, I knew I wanted more.
The resources are the perfect opportunity to support the resources I already had. The more resources I downloaded, the more I realized I could raise the rigor for students. I have raised the level of my students' ability to analyze a variety of texts.
The resources scaffold perfectly while challenging students to raise their level of work on every step. It is amazing. I love that Martina engages in a positive manner to all feedback!
– MORGAN PHELPS
Join me live on DATE and TIME, and I’ll show you how to implement reading and writing conferences that actually result in better essays and boost independent reading.
During this live workshop, I’ll show you how to structure reading and writing conferences so they can be effective tools in your classroom.
- When and how to run ELA conferences, no matter how long or short your class period is
- A simple strategy to make time for every student
- What to talk about in your conferences (without hours of preparation), so you can engage students in the conversation
- Tips for getting students to apply what you discussed during conferences to their independent work
- How ELA conferences can cut down on your grading
- Simple systems for tracking students' progress and monitoring growth
- Workshops' lifetime access to the replay (unless you’re in The Hungry Teacher’s Hub - you get extended access as long as you're in the membership).
- 3-hour PD certificate (check with your school to see if they accept them).
Conferences are about to become your secret weapon. You’ll walk away with a clear structure and strategies you can use right away.
- Example classroom schedules that include reading and writing conferences (whether you have a 45-minute class or block period)
- How ELA conferences can work to support your existing lessons and curriculum, without adding extra work
- How to give students constructive feedback that they can apply, which means better essays and more engaged readers
- The realities of using ELA conferences and how to handle challenges that may pop up
Jump right into ELA conferences with these bonuses. You’ll have the tools (and the strategies) you need to implement straight away.
- The Editable and Digital Conference Forms so you feel confident running conferences and can easily track student progress
- The Independent Reading Bundle includes activities to get students excited about independent reading + a Status of the Class template to track students’ reading progress and conference with students who need help
- The Literary Analysis Writing Unit designed with conferences in mind with step-by-step instructions and prompts to use in your conferences
You'll also get access to these bonuses...
Editable and Digital Conference Forms
Don’t walk into your conference empty-handed. You’ll have a set of templates and guided prompts to make your conference a success. Get access to -
⭐ Reading conference forms to track reading progress and support independent reading
⭐ Writing conference forms to track students' strengths, goals, and overall essay progress
⭐ Student recording forms for self-monitoring and accountability
⭐ Planning forms to create small groups based on each student’s abilities and interventions
The Independent Reading Bundle
Want to include more independent reading time in your classroom and hold students accountable? This bundle supports independent reading and reading conferences. This includes -
⭐ First Chapter Friday and Starbooks Book Tasting to help students explore new books
⭐ Status of the Class to monitor (and conference on) independent reading progress
⭐ Editable genre display to help with student book selection
Literary Analysis Writing Unit
Literary analysis can be challenging. But when you use writing conferences, your student essays will go from surface-level to in-depth. This resource includes -
⭐ 25 done-for-you lesson plans for in-depth literary analysis unit.
⭐ 40+ differentiated reading response examples to model writing.
⭐ Editable writing conference forms with differentiated standards checklists.
⭐ Support in lesson plans on leading conferences + prompts for writing conferences.
I know you want to implement effective conferences, so I’m going to make this a no-brainer.
It’s time to put an end to chaotic ELA conferences where you spend more time putting out fires than giving constructive feedback and supporting students.
And I’m sharing all my ELA conference strategies, worth $337, for only $28!
Join me live on DATE and TIME and get access to this 120-minute workshop + all the amazing bonuses.
SAY NO MORE! I'M IN!Dreading ELA conferences? Learn how to run them with confidence, so your students become engaged readers and strong writers.
- A Seat at the Conferences Unlocked Workshop on Saturday, April 5th @ 12:00 pm ET + workshop's lifetime recording access (Valued at $97).
- 3-Hour PD Certificate immediate access with ticket purchase.
- BONUS: Literary Analysis Unit with 24 Differentiated + Scaffolded Writing Unit Lesson Plans designed around utilizing and implementing conferences and 40+ examples of differentiated reading responses (Valued at $97)
- BONUS: Editable, digital, and differentiated reading and writing rubrics for 6th, 7th, and 8th (Valued at $47)
- BONUS: The Independent Reading Bundle has resources, tools, student forms, and engaging and effective independent reading activities (Valued at $47).
- BONUS: Editable, digital, and differentiated writing conference forms + standards checklists created based on feedback from middle school ELA teachers (Valued at $49)
After Conferences Unlocked, you’ll know how to run effective reading and writing conferences - without adding extra work to your plate.
I’ll show you how to streamline your conference process, provide meaningful feedback, and keep the rest of your class engaged. You’ll walk away with realistic strategies to reduce grading and fit conferences into your already-packed schedule.
If you’re not 100% satisfied with this workshop after 14 days, I will gladly refund every penny you paid for it.
Read what fellow Workshop attendees have said about their experience inside my workshops..
"The knowledge and resources that it comes with are chefs kiss!"
I initially enrolled in the Live ELA Experience Workshop because I thought the topics you discussed were something I could use in my classroom, especially as a first-year middle school teacher. Before taking this workshop, my biggest frustrations were planning for three grades without a curriculum, how to make time for independent reading and/or book clubs, and how to implement grammar!
This will be my first year, but I’m taking your advice and resources! I’m feeling more confident because of it. I love to have things broken down for me. Having examples is huge for me. I also loved all your amazing advice and the valuable resources you provided. I almost feel like I didn’t pay for it because you let us include it in the first three months of the hub membership. I would have gladly paid for it AND joined the hub. I was pleasantly surprised I could save a little more for my classroom.
– BROOKE DAVIS
"This resource made me feel confident ."
“I have never been disappointed with any of Martina's resources, and this research unit is no exception! It is incredibly thorough, covering credible sources, writing a strong introduction and developing a works cited page, among others.
This was my first year to teach a research paper, and this resource made me feel confident that I was giving my students a rigorous and academic experience that will benefit them in high school.”
– KELLIE T.
"Martina genuinely cares and puts 100% into the workshops. You'll walk away with pages of notes with ideas to implement right away and enough to chew on for the future."
She makes it super flexible for everyone in every unique teaching situation. After the workshop series, I could permit myself to not feel as if I had to do it all and with confidence, as Martina leads with results-driven encouragement. I can do what's best for my students and class, but also keep independent reading at the forefront, even with 45-minute class periods. This makes me so happy!
– AMY WAGNER
I'm Martina!
When I stepped into middle school ELA (after a few years of teaching elementary school), my students were struggling. Only 24% of my seventh graders and 11% of my eighth graders “met expectations” for writing.
And it wasn’t just their writing…
Many of them hated reading, too. They weren’t engaged in their novels, and they had all kinds of mental barriers against reading.
I wasn’t sure what to do about it.
I’d heard about writing and reading workshops and conferences, but I wasn’t sure that they’d make a difference. Still, I figured I had nothing to lose, so I slowly started weaving them into my routine.
At first, I wasn’t sure what to say when I met with students (or if the feedback I was giving them even helped). But instead of forcing myself to follow the “by-the-book” approach, I made conferences work for my students.
The improvements weren’t immediate, but I started to notice a change!
Students were making it farther into their books. They were selecting novels they were excited about. Their essays improved when we focused on one skill at a time. They were applying my feedback to their writing.
In this workshop, I’m sharing the exact structure and strategies I used to make ELA conferences an effective part of my daily routine, so you can start seeing progress with your students, too.
Is the Conferences Unlocked Workshop Right for You?
- You’re a middle school ELA teacher.
- You’re struggling to structure ELA conferences and make them effective.
- You’re not sure how to fit conferences into your limited class time.
- Your students aren’t applying what you conference about to their independent work.
- You want a simple system for documenting conference details.
- You want to feel more confident giving feedback during conferences.
- You need realistic tips for keeping the rest of the class engaged while you conference.
- You’re an elementary teacher (unless you’re working with advanced upper elementary students).
- You are looking for someone to sugar-coat ELA conferences. (It’s not a magic pill, but it will make a difference!)
- You’re not interested in using reading or writing conferences.
- You already have a conference structure, and it works really well.
- You don’t plan to make independent reading a priority in your classroom. (Independent reading is a key part of reading conferences.)
When you attend live, you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with like-minded educators who understand your exact struggles. However, this workshop is going live only on SATURDAY, APRIL 5TH @ NOON ET.
This deal won’t last forever. Eventually, I’ll realize just how crazy I am for giving all these resources away for such a low price. Make sure you snag your ticket before I come to my senses. 😉
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I get the recording if I can't come to the live workshop?
I teach upper elementary or special education. Will this be a good fit for me?
Do I need to implement independent reading to use reading conferences?
I only teach reading / writing. Will this work for me?
Is the workshop live?
How long is the workshop?
Will I be able to ask questions?
How long will it take me to implement and see results?
I can’t make it live. Should I still join?
Dreading ELA conferences? Learn how to run them with confidence, so your students become engaged readers and strong writers.
- A Seat at the Conferences Unlocked Workshop on Saturday, April 5th @ 12:00 pm ET + workshop's lifetime recording access (Valued at $97).
- 3-Hour PD Certificate immediate access with ticket purchase.
- BONUS: Literary Analysis Unit with 24 Differentiated + Scaffolded Writing Unit Lesson Plans designed around utilizing and implementing conferences and 40+ examples of differentiated reading responses (Valued at $97)
- BONUS: Editable, digital, and differentiated reading and writing rubrics for 6th, 7th, and 8th (Valued at $47)
- BONUS: The Independent Reading Bundle has resources, tools, student forms, and engaging and effective independent reading activities (Valued at $47).
- BONUS: Editable, digital, and differentiated writing conference forms + standards checklists created based on feedback from middle school ELA teachers (Valued at $49)
