Student-Led Conferences (Simultaneous Conferences with Multiple Families)

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Student-Led Conferences(Simultaneous Conferences
with Multiple Families)

• Text Reference
• Implementing Student-Led Conferences
• Jane M. Bailey and Thomas R. Guskey

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Essential Questions?

• What is the purpose of traditional parent-teacher
  conferences?
• What are some of the advantages and disadvantages
  of these conferences?
• Whose work is being discussed at these meetings?
• Who is discussing this work?

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Essential Questions

• Are traditional Parent-Teacher Conferences
  outdated? (Same as when you were a child?)
• Is there a better way to communicate with
  families at conferences? (From who do you think
  the families would prefer to hear fromtheir
  child or the teacher?)
• Can we increase student responsibility for
  learning? (Is responsibility related to
  motivation?)

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What are Student-Led Conferences?

• A conference with the family in which the student
  leads a
• discussion of his/her work and a review of
  his/her
• portfolio.
• The classroom teacher goes from being the leader
  of the conference to becoming a facilitator.
• Student goes from non-participant or passive
  observer to leader of the conference.
• Families become more actively engaged in
  discussions with their child rather than the
  teacher.
• Support teachers go from non-participant to
  making sure that work samples are included in
  portfolio and available for conferences.

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Why Student-Led Conferences?

• Benefits
• Require students to evaluate and reflect upon
  their work on a regular basis and identify what
  they do and do not understand about a given
  subject.
• Facilitate students taking more responsibility
  for THEIR OWN LEARNING.
• Help students see relevance of schoolwork to
  their lives and contribute to their metacognitive
  growth.
• Allows for individual voice for students.

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Why Student-Led Conferences?

• Benefits
• Provide structure for goal setting and
  attainment.
• Allow students to learn new skills.
• Provide an opportunity for families to view their
  childs work and understand the students
  progress in an effective and direct manner.
• Families are more inclined to attend a
  student-led conferences.
• Change climate of school and perceptions by
  families-can become a way of celebrating students
  and the school.

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Changing Roles Student-Led Conferences

• The teachers role
• Teachers become facilitators as students lead
  their families through discussions about their
  progress and learning.
• Teachers are responsible for organizing the
  conference environment. This includes
• Scheduling
• Guiding portfolio collection
• Rehearsing with the students
• Arranging space for meetings.

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Changing Roles Student-Led Conferences

• The students role
• Students role changes from passive observer to
  one of leader.
• Student is the key person responsible for
• Identifying strengths and learning needs
• Collecting and reflecting evidence to document
  progress
• Inviting parents and scheduling
• Role-playing and rehearsing
• Preparing physical space for family at meeting
• Taking home pertinent information for family.

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Changing Roles Student-Led Conferences

• The familys role
• Families become partners in learning.
• Families responsibilities include
• Providing reinforcement, encouragement and
  praise
• Asking probing questions
• Listening and spending time with their child
• Seeing what school is like through the eyes of
  their child.

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Changing Roles Student-Led Conferences

• The administrators role
• Administrative support is essential.
• Administrators must
• Encourage innovation
• Facilitate scheduling
• Provide time and training necessary for teachers
  to learn about the concept
• Educate parents about student-led conferences.

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Changing Roles Student-Led Conferences

• The co-curricular and support teachers roles
• It is critical that information from these
  classes be included.
• Co-curricular teachers roles include
• Making sure work is included in portfolio
• Helping to design portfolio
• Planning exhibits and performances of student
  work
• Promoting student self-evaluation.

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What Do Portfolios Include?

• Agenda/organizer
• Student work/samples (evaluation)
• Goal sheets (academic and behavioral)

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Examples of Work to Include in Portfolio

• Illustrations/Graphs
• Homework/Class work
• Projects
• Warm-ups
• Drills
• Interactive Notebooks

• Tests
• Quizzes
• Group Work
• Writing Assignments
• Labs

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Preparing For Conferences

• Introduce concept to colleagues
• Communicate concept to parents
• Determine scheduling and location of meetings
• Determine contents of portfolio and how to
  collect
• Arrange child care and refreshments
• Encourage family participation
• Determine and implement evaluation method

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What Forms Do I Need?

• Invitation to Family
• Grade Reflection
• Behavior Checklist
• Reflection and Goals
• Meeting Agenda
• Conference Follow-up Letter

Helpful Hint Color code forms or folders
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Student Led Conference Timeline

• Prepare Portfolios/Folders/Goals gtgtgt on-going
• Invitation to Family gtgtgt Send home 2 weeks prior
  to conference
• Rehearse Conference gtgtgtgt 1 or 2 days before the
  conference

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What Is Conference Day Like?

• All paperwork is assembled, organized and ready
  to go!!!
• Students are excited about their conference!!!
• Room becomes noisy!! Its ok!

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Traditional Conference vs. Student-Led Conference
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Student-Led Conferences-Lets Review

• What is the purpose?
• What are some of the advantages of these
  conferences?
• What are some of the disadvantages to these
  conferences?
• Whose work is being discussed at the meeting?
• Who is discussing this work?

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Other Possibilities

• Individual conferences (especially for very young
  students)
• Presentation or showcase conferences
• Portfolio nights
• At home student-led conferences
• Electronic student-led conferences