Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Student-Led Conferences Part 2

After weeks of preparation, the sixth graders of Goodrich school showed up to conferences dressed in their "Sunday best," nervously awaiting their Parent-Teacher conferences. You may be wondering why the students had to dress up, why their nerves were so high, and why they had to prepare weeks ahead of time; it's all because the students ran the show!

Sitting across the table from their parents, students began by introducing their parents and teachers. From there, students dove into their learning by explaining their successes and challenges in each subject area. The amount of honesty and ownership the students displayed during this time was astounding.

Not only did the students talk academics with their parents, but they also shared goals, reflected on their behavior and use of social skills, and described their readiness for junior high.

Parents, students, and teachers all gained a greater understanding of what the sixth graders know, what goals they want to achieve, and how they'll make the most of their last year at Goodrich.

"Originally I was kind of nervous about student-led conferences. Once I practiced and saw what we were doing with it, I wasn't as nervous about them. I really liked how the format of our script was; where each subject area had a section of strengths and challenges. It really organized and prepared me to explain my learning to my parents."
-6th Grader

"When I first learned my daughter would be leading her conference, I was unsure about the situation. I thought, how much does she really know about her academics? The answer is, A LOT! I was blown away with how articulate she was with her own learning and how thoughtful her social and academic goals were. Bravo to the sixth grade teachers for allowing students to take charge of their learning."

-Parent

"Having the students practice a formal presentation was a great idea, and it was fun to see how seriously they took it. It gave them a good opportunity to be involved in evaluating their own skills and progress."
-Parent




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