On Friday, students in grades 5 through 11 will participate in a valuable opportunity to become “leaders of their own learning,” in the immortal words of Ron Berger of EL Education, the premier authority on project-based learning. Students will lead their parents and advisor in an exploration of their core values and goals for personal growth as well as academic progress in each of their classes.
In other words, they will be conducting their own portfolio-based student-led conferences, a practice we began with Middle School several years ago and have expanded to include all grades from fifth through eleventh.
Parents sign up for a conference slot, just like you always have, on the document that Emmy has sent you. You will arrive with your child at the appointed time and, you, as parents or guardians, become the attentive audience to your child’s confident, well-rehearsed presentation.
Teachers have guided the students throughout the process, helping them develop S.M.A.R.T. goals and to identify both strengths and challenges in each area of growth, from “citizenship and life skills” (for Middle School) to a personal mission statement, not to mention every subject area including; projects and PE. They will present their goals and observations in script form or by slide show or website–and will include evidence in the form of assignments, projects or artifacts along the way.
As for the role of parents and guardians, here are your responsibilities:
Role of the Parent/Guardian
The parent/guardian is the second most essential attendee to the Student-Led Conference and should be briefed about the format and objectives of the SLC so that the conference runs smoothly.
The parent must be willing to let the student speak, saving questions until the end.
The parent/guardian arrives on time.
The parent/guardian shares any lingering concerns with the advisors, who will inform the subject teacher.
The parent/guardian helps the student meet their academic and behavioral goals by supporting their progress at home.
Some parents wonder if they will really get enough insight into how students are really doing, but I am confident you will be amazed at how insightful and truthful your children can be. In any case, as John Hattie says, our goal is to develop “assessment capable learners” He goes on to say that “[w]hen we leave students out of assessment considerations, it is akin to fighting with one arm tied behind our backs. We fail to leverage the best asset we have: the learners themselves.”
What does it mean for students to be assessment capable? Here’s a rundown:
They are aware of their current level of understanding in a learning area.
They understand their learning path and are confident enough to take on the challenge.
They can select tools and resources to guide their learning.
They seek feedback and recognize that errors are opportunities to learn.
They monitor their own progress and adjust course as needed.
They recognize what they’re learning and can teach others.
So please sign up for a slot–and if the times that are available don’t work for you, please reach out to your child[ren]’s teacher or advisor directly.
Naturally, if you still feel you need to meet with one or more of your child’s teachers individually, you can always set up an appointment with them. In my experience, however, if the child is in the room when parents meet teachers, at least at some point in the process, then real, sustainable improvement is much more likely to happen.