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Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 08:39:27 -0500 (EST)
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From: RJurczyk <RJurczyk@aol.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:1317] Student Led Conferences
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The following is crossposted from EDINFO. It is long and offers some
suggestions you might want to consider in your conference techniques.
Robin Jurczyk
NIFL-Family list moderator
rjurczyk@aol.com
***************
========================================================
"Student-Led Conferences at the Middle Level" (May 1997)
Author: Donald G. Hackmann, ERIC Digest ED407171
========================================================
The time-honored parent-teacher conference format has
traditionally excluded the student from the process. This model
does little to facilitate dialogue between parent & child or to
recognize the need for students to assume greater control of
their academic progress. Fortunately, student-led conferences
are emerging as a positive alternative to the traditional middle
level parent-teacher conference.
CONFERENCE GOALS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Middle level faculties have developed student-led conferences to
achieve one or more of the following goals:
* to encourage students to accept personal responsibility for
their academic performance;
* to teach students the process of self-evaluation;
* to facilitate the development of students' organizational &
oral communication skills & to increase their
self-confidence;
* to encourage students, parents, & teachers to engage in open
& honest dialogue; &
* to increase parent attendance at conferences (Guyton &
Fielstein, 1989; Hackmann, 1996; Hackmann, Kenworthy, &
Nibbelink, 1995; Little & Allan, 1989).
Faculties using this model frequently report that, as a result of
involvement in student-led conferences, parent & teacher bonds
are strengthened. Both teacher & parent are more likely to
initiate subsequent contacts throughout the remainder of the
school year (Hackmann, 1996).
STUDENT-LED CONFERENCE MODEL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Although the format & content of student-led conferences may vary
from school to school, the concept remains the same: the student
is in charge of the academic conference with the parents. The
teacher simply serves as a discussion facilitator when needed.
This increased accountability moves the student from passive--and
frequently second-hand--recipient of information shared between
teacher & parent, to active participant in a three-way
interaction among parent, teacher, & student. Students assume
"equal partner" status in discussions concerning their academic
progress.
The student-led process typically is conceptualized as three
distinct phases: preparation, the actual conference, & an
evaluation component (Countryman & Schroeder, 1996; Little &
Allan, 1989).
*PREPARATION* Since the student-led model differs dramatically
from the traditional parent-teacher conference, it cannot be
assumed that middle level students will possess the
self-confidence, organizational skills, & communication skills
necessary to lead a successful conference. Therefore, teachers
must adequately prepare students & provide them with an
appropriate conference structure. In the weeks prior to the
conference, teachers instruct students on how to lead the
conference, assist them with collecting & preparing information
to be shared with parents, & describe how to explain & interpret
any information to be shared. Students learn that excuses are
not acceptable & understand that they must be able to present
artifacts to their parents that depict their progress. Students
who become actively involved may be motivated to improve their
academic performance.
The student-led conference is designed to be a positive
experience for the student. Therefore, students must be allowed
sufficient time to prepare their conference folders & scripts.
Practice is also important. Teachers should permit students to
role-play various conference scenarios with student partners
(Guyton & Fielstein, 1989) & should provide feedback to assist
students in improving their presentations. Students gain
confidence as they practice, & they also learn to anticipate
questions that may be asked by their parents. Prior to
conference day, parents should be notified of the new
conferencing format, & it should be clearly explained that the
student will be in charge & the teacher will serve as a
facilitator. Parents should be encouraged to support their child
& could also be provided with a list of sample questions they may
wish to ask their child during the conference (Hackmann, 1996).
*THE CONFERENCE* Since the student is in charge of the conference
& is now adequately prepared to assume this responsibility, some
school faculties question whether the teacher should be
physically present at the actual conference or simply be
available if needed. Schools have taken different approaches to
this question. Some decide the teacher will indeed be present
for the entire conference but will intervene only when necessary
(Countryman & Schroeder, 1996; Hackmann et al., 1995). Other
schools schedule three to four conferences in the teacher's room
simultaneously, with the teacher moving freely from family to
family & spending only a few minutes with each group (Guyton &
Fielstein, 1989; Little & Allan, 1989).
Discussion of academic grades is typically the primary focus of
the student-led conference, but grades should not be the only
focus. With increased numbers of schools now using student
portfolios, the student-led format also provides an excellent
opportunity for students to share the contents of their
portfolios & to explain why each artifact was selected for
inclusion. Additionally, the conference agenda may include
discussion of artifacts that help explain grades (such as test &
homework scores, homework assignments & student projects, &
records of class attendance, class participation, & the number &
types of missing assignments) & discussion of self-selected
academic & social goals for the upcoming term. It is important
to include both cognitive & affective components in the
discussion, but the affective elements should not overshadow the
focus on the child's academic progress.
The conferencing format should be envisioned as a process, rather
than as an event. Parents & students should be discouraged from
becoming fixated on past unsatisfactory performance & should be
prompted to engage in mutual problem-solving. The teacher can
assist families with the development of a plan of action that
recognizes the student's accountability for academic progress
while permitting parents to support the child in appropriate ways
(Hackmann, Kenworthy, & Nibbelink, in press).
Since student-led conferences will in all likelihood include more
content than a traditional parent-teacher conference, teachers
find that conferences require more time. For example, Countryman
& Schroeder's (1996) initial experience with student-led
conferencing quickly led to the conclusion that their usual
15-minute timeframe was insufficient. Many schools recommend 20
or 30 minutes to allow for more substantive discussions (Guyton &
Fielstein, 1989; Hackmann, 1996).
*EVALUATION* Either immediately following the conferences or
shortly thereafter, students, parents, & teachers should be given
an opportunity to provide their feedback concerning the
effectiveness of the student-led format. This feedback is
essential so that teachers can continue to fine-tune the
conference model & can be responsive to the expressed needs of
students & parents.
Schools employing this model note that parent attendance at
conferences has increased (Hackmann, 1996) & assert that over 90%
of parents & students prefer the student-led conference (Hackmann
et al., in press). Students report increased self-confidence &
personal satisfaction with being directly involved in the
conferences. Parents begin to recognize their children's ability
to assume increasing levels of responsibility & appreciate the
opportunity to strengthen the lines of communication with their
children. Citing a more positive & relaxed conferencing
atmosphere, teachers report a reduced conference preparation
workload & diminished levels of teacher stress during conferences
(Hackmann et al., in press).
TRADITIONAL PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE OPTIONS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Although the majority of parents & students may recognize the
benefits of student-led conferences, some parents may prefer a
traditional parent-teacher conference, & others may simply desire
a few minutes with the teacher to address some unresolved
questions. Middle school faculties can address these parental
concerns in the following ways:
* Allow parents the option of selecting either a student-led
conference or a traditional parent-teacher conference;
* Reserve five minutes at the end of the student-led
conference for a private conversation between parent &
teacher; or
* Permit the parent to schedule a follow-up conference with
the teacher, either during scheduled conference times or at
a later date.
THE ABSENT PARENT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Occasionally, in spite of the best efforts of both student &
teacher, a parent is unable to attend the scheduled conference.
With the traditional parent-teacher conference, the teacher may
never have an opportunity to meet with the parent. However, the
student-led conferencing model does not require that the meeting
between student & parent occur only at school. The student whose
parent cannot attend or chooses not to attend the scheduled
conference can still successfully conduct the conference at home.
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