Student Led Conferences :

1. Making Portfolios Meaningful Staci Shackelford MEd., NBCT Student Led Conferences: Too Powerful NOT To Do Them

2. Ice Breaker Fold your paper into four quadrants:

3. In Quadrant I respond to the following: Where do you teach, what course(s) and grade level(s)?

4. In Quadrant II respond to the following: Three things I love about teaching are… 

5. In Quadrant III respond to the following: Portfolios in the classroom are a great way to…

6. In Quadrant IV respond to the following: My understanding of Student Led Conferences is…

7. Get up and touch 3 of the walls then find a partner and share what you wrote for each http://www.timercountdown.net/5-minutes

8. Let’s process the Icebreaker… Whip around

9. A Little History: How I started and Why. • My middle school designated two days each trimester to meet with parents. • Each team of teachers could only meet with 30 to 34 of your students. Ensuring you met with only those students most at-risk. • These days were awful and depressing. • We decided to pilot student led conferences.

10. Here is what we did: Every student prepared their portfolio with pieces from each class One teacher sat with each family for the 10 minute presentation (Six teachers total) Then there was a 10 minute social time where parents could speak with other teachers We went from seeing only 30-34 students over two days to seeing all of our students..

11. Fast Forward 5 Years and National Board Certification • Needed portfolios so students could reflect on their own learning as part the process • Did not want to read or grade every portfolio but still wanted them to meaningful • Used Student Led Conference and parent feedback to assess the portfolio.

12. If you’re anything like me… • This sounds like a great idea, but… • It’s a little overwhelming. • I have too many students to do this. • I don’t have enough time to even teach the standards. • This is just one more thing. • What would this look like even if I DID do it?

13. In the end… • It did not make my job harder; in fact it made it easier • Student centered • Streamlined • Repurpose time • Parent conferences became positive and meaningful experiences • At the end of the evening I always say “This is why I do it!” Soooo… I keep doing it!

14. Students say: • “You do not realize what you know until you share it with someone else.” • “Sometimes there are things you don’t know about yourself until you really think about it.” • “This shows what you know and what you need help on.”

15. Parents say: • “I like that my child had to take accountability for the good and the bad results.” • “This was a positive way to evaluate our child’s progress and provide parent information.” • “I can’t wait to come back!!”

16. Portfolios and SLC’s Portfolios • Tool for ongoing self-reflection • Structure for students to monitor their own learning over time SLC’s • Meaningful parent-student interaction about past performance and future goals. • Give portfolios value without a“grade” from teacher

17. Hot Potato What items would you like to see in a Math portfolio.

18. Portfolios • Students maintain portfolios in order to present at the conference. • Students retrieve, reflect, and then return • Teacher can check off before filing • Teacher can use portfolio in any parent conference

19. Contents of portfolio • Data sheet • Standards matrix • Tests with analysis sheet

20. Data sheet • Record of scores • Homework • Quizzes • Tests

21. Standards matrix • Student friendly standards • Space to document achievement for each test by standard • By product: evaluate our assessment of the standards

22. Test Analysis • Make corrections • On own or with help from others • Celebrate their success • State a problem that they are proud to have mastered and why

23. Modified Carousel • Centering around the portfolio, what would you want your students to: • Do • Show • Discuss • Plan with their parent during a conference?

24. Student Led Conference • Outline prepared in class • Invitations sent home • Confirmations • Scheduling • Conference • Feedback forms

25. Outline Page I • Reflect on mastery • Using data sheet, matrix, and test analysis • Evaluate and Demonstrate strengths • Using test problems

26. Outline page II • Evaluate Areas of growth • Evidence of growth • Create action plan/ Reflect on action plan

27. Invitation • Set the tone • Celebration • No grade book • Describe the event • In home language • Requirement • Flexibility • Time/day • Attendees

28. Setting up the Event • Scheduling (options) • 30 min blocks • 16 at a time (as space allows) • One/two evenings • Confirmation • With exact time

29. Conference • Fluid start/end times • Student is in charge and prepared • Conference is self contained • Outline and parent evaluation form directs the conference • Teacher observes, occasionally interjects and redirects any questions back to the student • Positive interaction between all three stake holders • Parent interaction changes • “Why is Johnny failing?” turns to “How can I help?”

30. Look no teacher .

31. Evaluation • Student: • Evaluates presentation • Sets goals for next time • Open ended • Parent: • Check list • “Grades” presentation • Structured

32. These can be the • Powerful, • Productive, • Positive, tool you are looking for. That’s why we can’t NOT do them!!

33. Contact me: Staci.Shackelford@wuhsd.org Thank you and good luck.