Oregon Middle School
Student Led Conference – F.A.Q.’s
1. What are student led conferences (SLC)?
Student led conferences represent a different approach to communicating the work and progress students complete during their time at OMS. During the SLC students will present a portfolio of their work. Students will be working all year to build the portfolio which represents who they are as people and learners. It will contain samples of their work from each of the core and encore classes, as well as examples of goals they set and how they meet those goals.
2. Who participates in the SLC?
The SLC is attended by the student, their homebase teacher their parents/guardians. It may be possible that a school counselor or administrator may attend to observe and support the student.
3. How are student led conferences different than traditional parent-teacher conferences?
A traditional student-teacher conference is a meeting between the parent/guardian and the student’s teachers. Parents are able to ask questions about their student’s performance, and the teacher is able to share observations and other insights into how the student is performing in the classroom and school at-large. Traditional student led conferences focus a student’s performance relative to grading standards and learning objectives. The SLC is actually directed by student and guided by the portfolio. Students will be provided 20 minutes to discuss their goals and work. Parents can write questions for their students on a card. The student will be able to respond to parent questions at the end of their presentation.
4. When does the SLC take place?
Student led conferences will take place second semester after traditional parent-teacher conferences are conducted during first semester. The dates scheduled for the year 2008 are ____ and ____.
5. How will students get ready for their SLC?
Students will work in their homebase with their homebase teacher to build the SLC portfolio and prepare for their presentation. A variety of portfolio building activities and presentation exercises are planned for the entire 2007-2008 calendar year to help students prepare.
6. How will parents get ready for the SLC?
Parents can sign up for their SLC appointment at first conferences. Parents who do not sign up for the SLC at first conference will be contacted by their student’s homebase teacher to set up a scheduled conference time sometime in early 2008. Other than setting up the appointment and supporting their student’s efforts, all parents need to do is show up at their scheduled time.
7. What if I have a concern or question for a specific teacher?
SLC’s are not traditional conferences. If a parent has a question or concern for a specific teacher they are encouraged to communicate via email, telephone, or schedule an in-person appointment with the teacher(s) for a time other than the SLC.
8. What does the SLC look like?
In an effort to help students and parents better understand what an SLC is like, we have prepared a sample video for you to review. The video can be accessed via our website at http://teachers.oregon.k12.wi.us/lindsey/slc.htm. If you are unable to view this video online, please let us know and we will provide you with a sample video on CD.
9. Why is OMS changing the way conferences operate?
The are a number of reasons OMS is looking to implement this new conference procedure. Research on learning shows that students learn best when they are required to demonstrate to others their knowledge and skills. The effectiveness of this practice is heightened when students know their audience is connected and engaged to their presentations. SLC’s provide students with the opportunity in a supportive environment to demonstrate what they know and are able to do. Second, teachers have reported that second conferences are less effective than first conferences primarily because of the repetitive nature of the second event. Third, we have recognized a rather steady decline in attendance at second conferences and believe the SLC’s will encourage greater participation in the second round of conferences.
10. Does a student’s performance at the SLC impact their grades?
Directly? No. Teachers will evaluate student work presented during the SLC only in conjunction with their own class. However, research shows that student performance improves when they know they are expected to present their knowledge and skills to a receptive and authentic audience. It is likely that the SLC will positively impact student grades by encouraging students to do their best knowing they will have to present some of their work at the SLC.