Transcript Student-Led Conferences Work Session PPT - RESA 3 PRE K-12

STUDENT-LED CONFERENCES
WORK SESSION
Mandy Flora, RESA 3
New Teacher Mentor & School Improvement Coordinator
resa3tools.com
Today’s Agenda
• Determine WHY you might have a StudentLed Conference
• Define WHAT a Student-Led Conference is
• Look at examples & resources
• Think through BIG ROCKS of your StudentLed Conference
• Decide how to communicate plans to school
team
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WHY you might
have a StudentLed Conference…
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Raise your hand if…
• You’ve experienced student motivation
problems this year
• Are concerned about student behavior and
parental investment
• Have trouble with students taking ownership
for their work
• Parent-Teacher conferences are less than
80% attended
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My
experience…
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Guyandotte Elementary
• Priority-Transition
• <10% attendance for
Parent-Teacher
Conferences
• Negative parent
experiences
• 98% Free & Reduced
Lunch
• tinyurl.com/gesslc
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PHILOSOPHY
Student led conferences reflect the
belief that students should be
actively involved in their learning
and assume responsibility for the
learning process. Through a student
led conference, students become
more motivated, reflective and
evaluative. They also become more
critical in their approach to learning.
-Joshua Edson, Principal, Kent Phoenix Academy
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Traditional vs. Student-Led
Traditional
• Teacher Driven
• Short time frame-little time
for conversations
• Focus tends to be on social
and emotional rather than
academic
• Fragmented
• Teacher vs. Parent
• Opportunities to connect
with teacher
Student-Led
• Student Driven
• Longer time-conversation
based
• High accountability
• Opportunities for goal setting
• Samples of work
• Student-parent-teacher as
team
• Opportunities to connect with
whole school
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Benefits vs. Pitfalls
Activity:
• table discussion about implementing
student-led conferences
• list:
Likely Benefits
Potential Pitfalls
• chart/report out
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TOP TEN Reasons to Implement SLC
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TOP 10 Reasons to Implement SLCs
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Opens up communication between
school and home
Practices real-life skills:
communication, organization,
leadership, goal-setting
Teaches self-evaluation & selfreflection skills
Focuses on learning
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Goal setting process has buy-in for all
involved
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TOP 10 Reasons to Implement SLCs
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Easier scheduling- easily
accommodates late arrivals, walk-ins
Provides quality time between parent
and child
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Less stress on teacher during
conference days
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Accommodates parents who do not
speak English
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Students are at the center of the
conference
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Initial Decisions
• Time of year
• Overall organizational plan –
facilitators, drop-ins, set up, demos
• Structure- how many to hold at a time
• Scheduling process
• Parent notification process
• Preparation of teachers
• Preparation of students
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NUTS AND BOLTS
Before the conference….
1. Begin with student goal setting
2. Prepare samples of student work to
show evidence of growth and goal
progress (data notebooks and
portfolio).
3. Notify parents well in advance of the
conferences.
4. Provide opportunities for students to
practice
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NUTS AND BOLTS
Goal Setting
(1) Goal setting
• Identify strengths and
challenges based upon
data…WESTEST/SBAC,
Benchmarks, Grades, classroom
assessment and performance,
behavior, attendance, inventories,
self assessments, parent
assessment, teacher assessment,
etc.
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NUTS AND BOLTS
Goal Setting (continued)
(1) Goal setting
 Set goals with the grade level standards in mind ...
Reading, Writing, Mathematics,
Science, Social Studies
 Design a plan of action…
student responsibilities, teacher
responsibilities, parent responsibilities
 Decide on evidence to be included in portfolio,
and from data notebook…
what shows progress toward achieving
the
goals
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NUTS AND BOLTS
Student Work Samples
(2) Prepare samples of student work to show
evidence of growth and goal progress
(portfolio).
 Include baseline evidence
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•
•
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Benchmarks
Classroom Assessment
Writing Assessments
Inventories/Self Assessments
 Have students organize their work with a table of
contents
 Have students to explain and reflect upon their
choices(post-its or note cards)
•
•
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I put this in my portfolio because…
I feel good about this piece because…
If I did this piece again, I would improve it by…
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NUTS AND BOLTS
Notifying Parents
(3) Notify parents well in advance of the
conference.
 Send home a letter explaining the conference format
and why it is being used…
•
•
•
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Why are you having student led conferences?
How will the conferences be different?
If necessary, when can parents talk to you without the student?
When and where will the conference be held?
 Develop parent conferencing questions to guide
parents through the process…..
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NUTS AND BOLTS
Preparing Students
(4) Provide opportunities for students
to practice….
 Model the process
•
•
Teacher to teacher
Teacher to teacher assistant
 With students, develop a checklist describing
student role
 Organize student to student practice sessions
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Conference Schedule Example
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Introduction (1 minute)
Orientation (2 minutes)
Students Achievement Data (5 minutes)
Students Goals (3 minutes)
Action Plan (5 minutes)
Students Work (10 minutes)
Debriefing (2 minutes)
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Conference Organizer
Student Example
While we look at my work, please notice these
things:
• Subject goal ________
• Steps I will take to reach goal
•
•
•
•
1.
2.
3.
_____________
_____________
_____________
How parents can help me reach the goal
_____
Plan to monitor progress _______
These are the things I do well ______
These are the things I am working on ______
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After the Conference
1. Student thank you letter to parent
2. Student reflection survey
3. Parent questionnaire/evaluation
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Student Reflection Example
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•
•
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Survey:
What did you like about the student led
conference?
How did you feel during the conference?
What didn’t you like about the
conference?
If you could change the conference to
make it better, what would you do?
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Parent Questionnaire
Example
•
Survey
Which conference (traditional or
student-led) gave you a better
appreciation of…
–
–
–
What your child was learning?
What your child studied in class?
Your child’s study habits such as finishing
assignments and handing work in on time?
• What could be done to improve student-led
conferences?
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KEYS TO SUCCESS
• Students and teachers willing to take
risks
• Teachers willing to step aside
• Focusing in on student achievementNext Gen Standards and their
accomplishment
• Committing to the process
• Learning
• Preparing
• Practicing
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CHALLENGES
• First time jitters
• Uncertainty of sharing control with
students
• Need to adopt a student-centered
philosophy
• Organizing the logistics of conferences
• Responding to families who don’t
participate
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The Future-Focused Role Image
Unsuccessful Students Had:
• Very short horizons
• Believed their lives were in
the hands of fate
• Had no idea where they
were going academically or
personally
Successful Students Had:
• A vision for their future
• Goals
• Believed in their own selfefficacy
• Saw multiple options in
their lives
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SUMMARY
Student benefits:
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•
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•
•
•
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Accountability for their learning
Students learn to evaluate their own progress
Students gain greater commitment to school work and learning
Builds self confidence and self-esteem
Encourages student/parent communication
Builds communication and critical thinking skills
Places responsibility on the student and parent
Allows students to become involved
Puts students in charge of their learning
Time allowed to share and celebrate in learning environment
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SUMMARY
Parent benefits:
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Increases the amount of information given to a parent
Learn more about their child’s learning and skills
An opportunity to help their child set positive goals
Active participant in their child’s learning
First language communication
Eliminates standing in line for a conference
Allows for more time in their child’s learning environment to see
what the child has worked on over a period of time
• First hand opportunity to see their child in charge of the learning
process
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SUMMARY
Teacher benefits:
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•
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Less stress on teachers, very relaxed atmosphere
Less confrontational (more positive)
Places responsibility on the student and parent
Increased parent participation
An opportunity to see students in a leadership role
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Practical Suggestions:
• Start small!
• Choose only 3-4 areas to focus on/showcase as a
school, allow flexibility for classroom teachers within
school goals
• Have a dress-rehearsal: enlist support staff,
community members, and/or county leaders
• Keep traditional parent-teacher conference dates
• Stick to 80% parent-attendance goal, 100% studentconferencing with adult expectation
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2TRxd1ozmk
• tinyurl.com/gesslc
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Work Time:
• Answer the Guiding Questions first
• Get to work!
IDEAS:
-design PPT to share with colleagues
-decide what each conference must include
-put together a sample student portfolio contents
-write conference checklist
• Feel free to use the internet or binder resources to aid
in your planning
• Be prepared to share!
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