Elementary School Student Led Conferences Essential Agreements

February, 2012

DEFINITION A meeting between the student, parent(s) and with the teacher present. The meeting is student-led in that the child directs the conversation and the teachers role is that of facilitator. The student leads the parent(s) though a discussion of his / her work, goals, successes and areas to develop. The Learning Journal is central to the conversation between the student and parent(s). Several conferences are conducted simultaneously in a classroom with family groups seated far enough apart to allow for privacy. The teacher circulates amongst the groups and, when appropriate, stops to make comments, suggestions, or answer questions. Family groups move from the tables or seated areas to different parts of the room to talk about resources or work samples, under the direction of the student. Student Led Conferences occur once a year and form one part of how student progress towards targeted learning is communicated to parents.

PURPOSE Student Led Conferences: provide an opportunity for our students to share their learning journey with their parents provide students with a real audience with whom to share their changing understandings are a formalized meeting to communicate student progress further strengthen the bond between home and school, and underline that the relationship between the student, family and school is crucial to academic and social / emotional growth allow our students to move to a meta-cognitive level with their learning, as they seek to define themselves as learners and articulate this to their parents allow parents to provide students with feedback, communicated positively, on their progress at school allow parents to ask their child questions about the targeted learning, their attitudes in different learning contexts, and how they feel about themselves as a learner are a form of documentation of childrens learning

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE? Up to 6 students in the room at any one time with parents/caregivers Teacher is there to support/clarify for students and parents where and when appropriate Students use their Learning Journal to guide the conversation ESL students visit their ESL classroom before, during or after the conference Specialists classes for students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 are open for families to drop in and visit Specialists classes for students in Grades 2, 3 and 4 are available for visit during Spotlight on Specials week, which occurs the week of the Student Led Conferences Students make use of their mother tongue to share their learning journey with their families Parents ask questions in order to develop and maintain a dialogue with their child about his / her learning Students may use IT resources such as iPads, desktop computers or Promethean Boards to share their learning with parents Students may teach their parents, by leading them through an activity, a skill/concept they have learned or have been learning. Students have the opportunity to talk to their parent(s) about: o areas of success o any challenges they are experiencing in their learning o goals they have set or would like to set, and how they believe they can be reached o their learning style and / or preferences o their changing understandings o how they feel about their learning within specific areas of the curriculum or overall o how they have transferred an understanding from one learning context to another

THE ROLES OF THE PARTICIPANTS Student The student is in charge of leading his / her parent(s) through the Student Led Conference. It is important that parents follow the childrens lead as the timing of Student Led Conference is necessarily exact. Students will have a roadmap to guide their parents through the conference. They are responsible for sharing with their parents their thoughts, ideas and feelings about their learning in the different contexts at school. Students are strongly encouraged to use their mother tongue in Student Led Conferences. By transferring ideas from one language to another, students have the opportunity to deepen conceptual

understandings. For many students the experience of Student Led Conferences may be daunting, culturally unfamiliar, uncomfortable and / or exciting.

Parents For many parents, this is a new experience that may be at the same time exciting, puzzling and insightful. When the family enters the room, the child takes the lead and parents are asked to listen, ask questions, and offer feedback under the direction of the child. Parents are asked to keep the feedback positive at all times in order to ensure that the child remains as confident as possible in his / her role of leading the conversation. Parents are strongly encouraged to use their mother tongue should the child request this of them. It is possible that parents feel this is inappropriate, or indeed not permitted, in a school where English is the medium of instruction and may need reassurance from the teacher. Parents are also asked to respect the timing of the conference, to switch off cell phones, and to minimize socializing with other adults in the room. They are encouraged to not bring along younger siblings as they may disrupt the conference. If parents feel they need to talk with their childs teacher as a result of, or in addition to, the Student Led Conference, they are welcomed to make an appointment to speak with the teacher at a later date.

Teachers Teachers are stationed in their classrooms during the Student Led Conference. They are there to support students and parents. Teachers welcome families, circulate the room, and then may be at their tables so as not to hover over the ongoing Student Led Conferences. Teachers reassure parents that the use of mother tongue is encouraged. They are available at any time to clarify anything, respond to a question or, when appropriate, make a suggestion to the child about something he / she may wish to share. They ensure that the timing of the conference is adhered to, and are available should a parent wish to arrange a meeting for another day.