Student-Led Parent Conferences

So it's that time again...  time to gather all of your documentation on students and meet with parents.  Sometimes it can be overwhelming.  A dreaded event.  A day that we are watching the clock and impatiently awaiting dinner and drinks with our teacher friends.  And if I'm being honest, there don't seem to be too many significant changes in our students after the conferences.  But I'm here to tell you that it doesn't have to be this way!  Yes, parent conferences can be AWESOME! 

Whaaaa???  I know what you're thinking.  I'm crazy for even hinting that parent conferences can be (might I dare say?) fun.  Simply putting your students in charge of leading their conferences can...

1. Take a load off your shoulders 
2. Hold them accountable for their successes and areas for growth
3. Provide a stronger, respectful relationship between parent, teacher, and child

Let's take a deeper look into each of these benefits...

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 Accountable

What 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 Relationships

As 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

student-led_conference_process.pdf
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Step 1:  Discuss with students the process of a student-led conference.  Provide this information to parents as well so that all parties involved are prepared for the structure of this conference.

student-led_conference_plan.pdf
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Step 2:  Gather student work samples (possibly in a binder or organized folder) and invite students to review the samples.  They might also search through notebooks used for classroom to determine which samples are representative of their strengths or areas of growth.  Introduce the planning sheet that students will use as they conduct the conference.  *Side note:  I usually set expectations for how to complete this honestly and appropriately.

Step 3:  Invite parents to join and prepare to be "WOWed" by your students!  I usually start the conference by reviewing the process we will follow:  "Jane Doe will lead the conference today.  If you need help, Jane, I can step in and guide you.  When Jane finishes we will provide comments or questions."  The student then begins with the subject of their choice.  They share what they jotted on their plan and accompanying work samples.  Every now and then I, the teacher, may ask a clarifying question.  Otherwise, the students take the charge.  And they truly do measure up to the task!

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!