Student-led conferences provide an opportunity to celebrate students’ learning so far and discuss learning goals for the rest of the year.
During the conference, your child will discuss their learning and may share samples of their work. This is a special opportunity for your child to share with you their reflections on themselves as a learner and a member of a class and school community, identifying their strengths and needs and the next steps they feel they need to take. This is a very valuable part of their success at school.
What are Student-led conferences?
Student-led conferences are exactly what they imply; students take the lead on sharing examples of their work, discussing next steps and setting goals.
Student-led conferences create a partnership between the teacher, student, and parents to act as a support network or as stakeholders in the success of the student.
Student-led conferences do not replace other meetings between teachers and parents to discuss student wellbeing, learning or behaviour.
What are the benefits of student-led conferences?
They:
encourage the students to take responsibility for their own learning, actions, and decisions in an authentic way
provide an authentic purpose and audience for developing students’ goal-setting and self-reflection skills
develop in students a better understanding of their strengths and challenges and the correlation between their effort, progress and resulting quality of work
demonstrate to the students that we positively support their learning and acknowledges the value we place on their views and the respect we have for their opinions
affirm the importance of a partnership between students, teachers and parents to support the student’s learning, celebrate their achievements and work to overcome their challenges.
What are the roles of participants in student-led conferences?
Students
Develop and reflect on their learning goals, strengths and learning challenges. They select appropriate work samples and rehearse what they will say about them.
Students lead the conference with the support of the teacher.
Parents
During student-led conferences, parents focus the conversation on their children and reflect on their work with them. They look at samples and listen to their children’s explanations and reflections. Then, they ask how they can help and what the students need from them.
Teachers
In preparing for student-led conferences, teachers work with students to develop and reflect on learning goals, identify strengths and challenges, select appropriate work samples and prepare students for presenting their work.
During student-led conferences, teachers take on the role of facilitator, rather than that of leader. They may also act as advocates for their students.