Successful
Student-Led
School Conferences
Here's a
growing collection of resources about successful conferences, with an emphasis on the student-led parent/teacher conference.
Student-Led Conference Module – PowerPoints are often rather empty resources, but this is a good one that includes information and resources you can put to use, including good notes that accompany the slides. Developed by the Arkansas Department of Education, the 2007 product addresses common questions like "Can low achieving students conduct effective student-led conferences?" You'll find additional related resources at this Ark. SDE webpage.
Middle School Student-Led Conference Guide (PDF File) -- Kentucky's Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence published this guide to a student-led conference process developed by Louisville's Conway Middle School and the Jefferson County Public Schools. This compact PDF version includes all the text and forms, including sections about goals; what parents, teachers and students need to know; typical questions and answers about the process; and forms, including a teacher evaluation checklist, a student self-evaluation, and more.
Student-Led Conferences: Tips for Educators – As student-led conferences grow in popularity, educators are finding ways to improve their flow and productivity. Preparing students and parents for what's involved and practicing before "going live" can help, says Education World. (Scroll down if necessary to find article)
Assessing & Reporting Progress Through Student-Led Portfolio Conferences – In this article at the NMSA website, Vermont educator Carol Smith makes a convincing case that “Students hold important information about what they know and what they are able to do, as well as what they don't know and are unable to do. Given the opportunity, students can discuss their learning and their growth competently with others. A portfolio of work contains concrete evidence of that learning and growth, and offers the perfect vehicle for discussing progress.”
How to Run Successful Parent-Team Conferences -- "Only by forming an alliance can parents and teachers effectively work together to help students negotiate the treacherous path through the middle school years," writes education professor and former middle grades teacher Howard M. Miller. "One potent tool for creating parent-teacher bonds at the middle level is the parent-team conference." ("Middle Matters" magazine, Fall 1998.)
The Highs and Lows of Parent-Teacher Conferences -- This 1997 story profiles several parent-teacher conferences in Louisville KY, some more successful than others. A sidebar offers some parent conference tips for teachers.
Letting Middle Graders Lead Parent Conferences -- In this article from NAESP's Middle Matters magazine (Fall 1998), a seventh-grade teacher explained how her team involved students in teacher-parent conferences. "Students show parents some of their work and explain their grades at a student-led conference.... The format is important, but I believe the success of a student-led conference is most determined by how well students are prepared." The essentials of the process are captured at this page on the Character Counts website.
Student-Led Conferences: A Growing Trend -- For years parent-teacher conferences have been the primary means of parent-teacher communication. But now, many schools are trying something new -- student-led conferences that communicate not only how a student's doing but also why. Education World describes the trend. (Scroll down if necessary to find article)
Student-Led Conferences at the Middle Level – "Although the format and content of student-led conferences may vary from school to school, the concept remains the same: the student is in charge of the academic conference with the parents. The teacher simply serves as a discussion facilitator when needed. This increased accountability moves the student from passive--and frequently second- hand--recipient of information shared between teacher and parent, to active participant in a three-way interaction among parent, teacher, and student. Students assume "equal partner" status in discussions concerning their academic progress."
Student-Led Conferences Hold Kids Accountable -- The student-led parent conference puts the responsibility for learning where it should be, says the article at Education World. "The teacher facilitates the conference, but the student is responsible for answering parent questions and concerns about student learning. Students share with their parents what they have learned, show their parents their student portfolios, and discuss the reasons for their academic grades." Includes links to research and other resources. (Updated 2008)
Sample Materials for Student-Led Conferences – Developed by Rialto Middle School (CA), this sample parent letter and related materials may give you ideas as you begin to put together a program of your own.
Student-Led Conference Rubric – This rubric from rubrics.com is aimed at helping students think about what makes student-led conferences effective for parents and themselves.
Middle School Parent Involvement Pays Off -- "Parents can help schools enhance their programs and services, but where can parent leaders be found?" asks the lead-in to this article in Principal Leadership (September 2001). Authors Anne Henderson and Beverly Raimondo use the impressive accomplishments of Conway Middle in Louisville KY to show how schools are taking advantage of leadership institutes to support and train parents to become effective partners. At Conway, PTA membership has doubled, test scores are rising, and the school has received state awards for its gains. One key factor — student-led parent conferences.
Student-Led Conferences at the Secondary Level – This article written by a director of curriculum and instruction in Washington State describes how her district's approach to student-led conferences has increased teacher and student focus on standards and mastery.
Sending Clear Messages to Parents -- Students do better in school when their families get involved, says one article in this collection of parent-school essays from Horace, the magazine of the Coalition of Essential Schools. "But unless schools send clear messages of respect, families who don't fit the mold may never trust educators enough to speak up or show up." Among the resources here: Ten Principles of Parent Engagement.
Be sure to visit our page of resources about parent and community involvement.
