One of my summer evening rituals is watering the garden with a hose. It is calming and relaxing, and I can easily imagine the plants saying "thank you" as they drink up after a day of rare Seattle sun. Everything is growing, thriving, and producing, just not in the same way. The tomatoes need support. The zucchini needs lots of room. The radishes like to huddle together in neat little rows.

How like our classrooms.

I am reminded again that fair is not equal. It would be just as silly to put a tomato cage on the zucchini as it would to provide the same level of support for every student in our rooms. Instead, we give them what they need, and when we give them what they need, they too will grow and thrive.

The key is to administer assessments that will give us valuable insight into each child's strengths and needs and then provide targeted instruction that will fill the needs and build on the strengths. The secret lies in keeping track and monitoring progress. This is where intentional conferring is king.

And if intentional conferring is king, my conferring notebook is queen. It beautifully blends efficiency and accountability and leads to progress for all. Want to peek inside or set your own up? There's a link for that. 

We want healthy growth, whether we're taking care of tender plants in our garden or tender hearts in our classrooms. Great conferring is a bit like watering the garden. It helps to ensure growth, productivity, and a harvest of children who reach their potential. 

This article might be missing links that were included at the time of publication.