Raffles American School (RAS) in Nusajaya, Johor celebrated its 2nd year of student-led conferences. All students, Grades 1-9, invited their parents to an afternoon of sharing. As noted by Ron Berger in Educational Leadership, "When students must report to their families what they are learning – what skills and understandings they have, what areas still challenge them, and where they hope to get to – they must understand their own learning and progress. They take pride in what they can do and take responsibility for what they need to work on. Education stops being something done to them and begins being something they are leading.”
Students were given guidelines in order to help them be prepared for a successful parent student conference. Under the guidance of their advisory teacher, students focused on presenting their acquisition of the RAS Four Learning Outcomes: Problem Solving/Thinking, Communication, Organization/Research and Character/Interpersonal Skills. Evidence of classroom learning students are able to provide to their families becomes increasingly sophisticated as the grade level increases. Parents have the opportunity to step into the child’s school experience. Students prepared a portfolio of work providing evidence of strength in acquiring the learning outcomes through the various subject areas. Students experienced a risk-free environment in which to acknowledge those areas they feel are challenging and require further effort in their learning. Parents had a chance to observe their child in control of their learning, to experience their pride, and to share in their goals for achieving further learning.
Student-led conferences impact the instruction and assessment practices at Raffles American School. Teachers must strive to engage students in conceptual understanding, to monitor student progress on a daily basis and to provide feedback to students using methods that give the ownership for learning to the student. Student-led conferences shift instruction and assessment from ranking and scoring to inspiring, motivating and empowering students with tools for learning.
Congratulations to all of the RAS students on their completion of the student-led conference for the 2013-14 school year!
For more information on Raffles American School, visit www.raffles-american-school.edu.my
