Take a Load Off!Obviously it is time consuming to filter through student work to find what you think shows students strengths and areas needing improvement. It is even more time consuming to brainstorm and note all the things you plan to bring up at each conference. While you should still have a few ideas of important things you'd like to be addressed as a teacher, why not put some of this workload on the students? It is their work, their grades, and their behavior being discussed. Allowing students to lead their own conferences requires them to reflect on their grades and the work samples that reflect those grades. Chances are that the student will end up noticing and bringing up most, if not all, the significant points you had planned to discuss anyway. This eliminates the need for teachers to spend excessive amounts of time preparing for conferences that only last about 15 minutes each. Hold Students AccountableWhat better way to hold students accountable for their growth and success as learners than to put them in charge of their own conference? Last year was the first year I implemented Student-Led Conferences. Before trying it out, I had always led parent conferences on my own without the child present. The problem is that the child never really knew exactly what the parent and I discussed. Where is the accountability in that? The parent cannot be held solely responsible for the student's improvement. In addition, how are students to feel valued and respected as a learner if they cannot share about themselves in a reflective and honest way? After trying out this new method, I found that students took ownership of their learning, were more aware of their academic strengths and weaknesses, and became more thoughtful about their actions and attitudes in school. Build Stronger RelationshipsAs aforementioned, students deserve the opportunity to feel valued and respected as learners in the classroom. Student-led conferences can bring about a level of maturity and responsibility that might not be noticed on a day to day basis. How to Implement Student-Led Conferences
Leave your thoughts below!Have you tried student-led conferences? Are there other things you've tried that you'd like to share? Let us know!
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AuthorWelcome! I am Casey Watts- Collaborative Leader and Culture Changer! Archives
September 2023
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