This year, because of a change in our district calendar, spring conferences were relegated to a three-hour period on a Friday afternoon, which happened to be today. At our school we have long prided ourselves on well-prepared, student-led conferences, but it was necessary to change that structure to accommodate the abbreviated time period. We decided on a drop-in, first-come, first-served model where parents were encouraged to bring their students, but it wasn't required.
How strange it was to sit in my room at noon today wondering which of the families of the 100 students I have would show up and what they would want to hear. Oh, I had a number of tools at the ready-- my gradebook, some recent standardized test scores, a few work samples, but in the end it was really just my professional opinion that was requested.
"This is your agenda," I started after welcoming each of the 13 parents who stopped by, "what questions can I answer for you?"
The response?
Even though they all knew what grades the student had, it was always the same: How is she (or he) *really* doing?
And the follow up didn't change much either. How can I help him (or her) do better?
How strange it was to sit in my room at noon today wondering which of the families of the 100 students I have would show up and what they would want to hear. Oh, I had a number of tools at the ready-- my gradebook, some recent standardized test scores, a few work samples, but in the end it was really just my professional opinion that was requested.
"This is your agenda," I started after welcoming each of the 13 parents who stopped by, "what questions can I answer for you?"
The response?
Even though they all knew what grades the student had, it was always the same: How is she (or he) *really* doing?
And the follow up didn't change much either. How can I help him (or her) do better?
I love the idea of student led conferences! I can imagine the strangeness of waiting to see what family would walk in your classroom door!
ReplyDeleteOur middle school is trying student-led conferences, and it's my hope that the upper school will soon follow suit. You're right. Those two questions are really all the people want to know, when it comes down to it.
ReplyDeleteConferences it seems no matter how well planned never seem to go any different. I often watch the parents leave and wonder did I get through to them? or Did I tell them enough? Having 100 though must be difficult!
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