Student Led Conference Week at RAS: March 21, 2016 to March 25, 2016
The most exciting reporting period at Raffles American School is post Term 3 when students invite their parents to attend a student led conference. Students prepare for this conference beginning in Term 1 as they collect evidence throughout the year to justify their growth to their parents during the Student Led Conference.
The Student Led Conference format at RAS allows students the opportunity to demonstrate their acquisition or progress toward acquiring the RAS Learning Outcomes of Problem Solving/Thinking, Communication, Organizational/Research and Character/Interpersonal Skills. Students have the freedom to select the work they wish to share with their parents. Evidence of student ability may be presented by digital products, visual displays around the school, classroom journals, a model, an essay, or even a traditional test result. Rather than focus on content learned, students must address each Learning Outcome using the content learned in the subject(s) of their choosing. This format provides parents an insight into their child’s interests, passions, and pursuits.
A natural parent response to the Student Led Conference is the concern that their child will paint a rosy picture and not be truly honest. However, in responses collected from parents who have participated in this type of conference demonstrate a different outcome. Parents comment that their child is more honest about their weaknesses than the teacher would be. Parents feel that the student does not sugar-coat the way a teacher might in presenting negative aspects in classroom learning. A teacher must be careful in presenting the best in a student while noting areas for improvement. There was a lot more truth to the kids' presentations. Some parents feel like they finally received a true picture of their child's performance, from the child. Student Led Conferences provide an opportunity for parent and child to build a healthy relationship through focused attention on the outcomes the child is experiencing day to day in the school environment. Students relish the 100% attention they receive from the parent during the conference and feel empowered by taking the lead in presenting very personal learning experiences.
Another concern a parent may express is that they still want to have a discussion directly with the teacher. Although they value their student’s presentation of their efforts, some parents still feel more comfortable to hear the teacher’s feedback directly. At RAS parents are welcome at any time in the school year to make an appointment with teachers and/or advisors to ask questions or discuss concerns about their student’s learning. The Student Led Conference is not a replacement for direct parent/teacher interaction. The Student Led Conference is an opportunity for parents to learn about their child through a different perspective - the student’s own reflection.
Students practice their conference through mock conferences with peers and/or teachers standing in as the parent. Teachers advise, guide and facilitate the students preparation for the conference. Student and teacher mutually agree that the evidence chosen is valid and paints an accurate picture of the student's current standing in acquiring the RAS General Learning Outcomes.