Student Led Conferencing

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Student Led Conferencing
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What is student-led conferencing?

• Students create a portfolio of their work for a
  time period determined by the teacher
• Students reflect on their progress (teacher
  directed)
• Students establish goals and strategies for
  improved academic performance
• Teacher schedules conference dates/times with
  parent/student

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The conference

• Teacher facilitates the conference (varies
  depending on grade level)
• Student is responsible for answering parent
  questions and concerns
• Students share with parents what they learned
  show parent portfolio and discuss goals discuss
  reasons for academic grades

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Advantages

• Encourages students to accept personal
  responsibility for their academic performance
• Teaches students process of self-evaluation
• Helps students learn organization and
  communication skills
• Encourages students, parents, and teachers to
  engage in open, honest dialogue

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More advantages

• Increases parent attendance at conferences
• Gives students control of academic progress
• Informs parents of classroom procedures and
  policies
• Connects parents to the curriculum being taught
• Allows teacher to witness interaction between
  parent and child (audio)

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Challenges

• Requires organization and record keeping
• Process takes ample time
• Teacher has to make age-appropriate adjustments
• Must educate the parents of student-led
  conferencing guidelines
• Allow parents to schedule parent/teacher
  conferences separately from student-led
  conference

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Student-Led Conferencing and Motivation

• Evaluation is focused on individualized
  assessment of progress rather than comparisons of
  individuals or groups (Brophy, p28)
• Setting goals and making a commitment to trying
  to reach these goals increase performance levels
  (Brophy, p61)

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Student-Led Conferencing and Motivation

• Portfolios
• Attention is focused on quality standards as
  opposed to grades/scores
• Encourages students to be more reflective about
  their work
• Encourages self-improvement over time
• (Brophy, p69)
• Brophy, Jere, Motivating Students to Learn.
  Boston, Mass The McGraw Hill Companies, 1998

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Basic Procedure

• Save student work
• Before conference assemble into a portfolio
• Use reflection sheets and script to organize
  students
• Role play the conference several times
• Invite parents in at least two ways
• Encourage reflection after conference

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• Video Student-led conferencing

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Materials Needed

• File folders
• File box
• Paper
• Colored pencils, markers, or crayons
• Binders/paper bags
• Page protectors
• Forms for use before/during/after conference

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Resources

• Handout
• Websites
• Books
• Sample forms
• http//www.catawba.k12.nc.us/schoolpages/campbell/
  murray/murray/teachers/slc/slc.htm
• Link for handout
• Link for powerpoint

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Questions and Discussion