Taking the Lead: The Role Student-Led Conferences Play in Student Motivation
Toni Enloe
Mar 14, 2011
How do student-led conferences increase student motivation?
Nothing strikes greater fear in the hearts of many students, parents, and teachers than the dreaded letter. You know the one…
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Parent,
Another marking period has come to the end, and it is now time to assess your child's progress. Please contact me at your earliest convenience to set up a conference.
Sincerely,
Ms. Child’s Teacher
Phone Number
Immediately the panic sets in for many students. What will my teacher tell my parents? Have I done my best this marking period? Are there things I could have done better? Is there anything I need to confess to them before the conference? Parents wonder… What will the teacher tell me about my child? Is he/she progressing at a normal pace? Do I have any reason to be concerned? Teachers, bless their hearts, are just trying to figure out how much to share and trying to decide what is worth mentioning. How do they give parents an accurate picture of their child as a learner?
For more than a decade, there has been a growing trend in a conferencing model that allows students to take the lead. While this trend toward student-led conferences has been most frequently associated with middle school, is has become increasingly popular in both elementary and high schools.
Many of us grew up with the traditional parent–teacher conference where the student was often times either not invited or if they were, they were often in the “hot seat” left to defend why they were not achieving. The student-led conference allows students to take a leadership role in the conferencing process. In a student-led conference, the dialogue is between the student and parent while the teacher acts as facilitator when needed, student advocate, and even sometimes serves as a mediator. Students traditionally prepare and present a body of their work, often times in the form of a portfolio, and field questions and concerns from their parents about their learning. The teacher offers assistance when needed, but over 90% of the conference is student directed. Students take the lead in several ways:
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Do the planning - They decide what work will be shared based on criteria that have been previously established. What will be the best representation of their learning?
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Do all of the talking - They reflect on their work and respond to parental questions and concerns.
Benefits to all students include:
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Increases accountability – Students become responsible for reflecting on their own work and communicating their goals and strategies for achieving those goals.
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Increases communication between parent and child
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Increases parent involvement and support – Since students send out their own invitations, parents are more likely to attend a student-led conference.
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Increases motivation- When students have an actual audience they tend to take the task at hand more seriously.
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Increases student awareness of the learning process
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Increases student self-efficacy resulting in increased student effort
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Increases organizational and oral communication skills
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Increases student buy-in
Additional benefits for elementary students
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Even Kindergartners can do it.
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Encourages student involvement in their own learning at a very early age
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Allows students to brag about what they have done well by including samples of exemplary work
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Helps students identify where they need improvement
Additional benefits to middle/high school students
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Provides opportunities for open dialogue about interests and abilities
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Allows parents to help their child develop goals – When everyone is involved in the goal setting, there tends to be a higher percentage of follow-through.
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Gives students control over some aspects of their learning.
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Students become more thoughtful, motivated and evaluative when it comes to their learning and more critical of their attitudes toward their own education.
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Empowers students at a time when they are not in control over many things concerning their education
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Provides an authentic experience that will prepare students for the work force
Benefits to parents include:
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Learning more about their own child’s learning and skills
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Working with their child to set goals
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Seeing their child “in action”
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Actively participating in their child’s schooling
For parents of English language learners, parent and student can communicate in their own language removing much of the intimidation that often times exist during a traditional parent-teacher conference.
Benefits to teachers:
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Provides an opportunity to grow student leaders
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Increases parent involvement through positive experiences
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Places more responsibility on the students
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Creates a more relaxed conferencing atmosphere
How do I start?
Great student-led conferences do not just happen. They must be well planned and well rehearsed. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! There are many wonderful resources available to guide you through the process from preparing parents for a different type of conference, helping students create their portfolios, and prepping students for the conference.
This conference begins with a different kind of letter, an invitation.
Dear Mom and Dad,
This marking period I have been working really hard and would like to share what I have done with you. I would like to invite you to my conference on
Date:
Time:
Location:
I have already set a couple of goals for the next grading period, but I would like for us to set my last goal together.
Hope to see you there.
I Love You,
Your Son, Dennis the Menace
How could any parent refuse an offer like this?
“Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to educate themselves.” ~Abbé Dimnet, Art of Thinking, 1928
Resources for Student-Led Conferences:
The What, Why, and How of Student-Led Conferences
Jack Berckemeyer & Patti Kinney
National Middle School Association
Student-Led Conferencing: Using Showcase Portfolios
Barbara P. Benson & Susan P.Barnett
Corwin Press
A School-Wide Approach to Student-Led Conferences
Patti Kinney, Mary Beth Munroe & Pam Sessions
National Middle School Association
