Learning and Teaching
Student-led conferences (SLCs)
Student-led conferences (SLCs) and parent-teacher interviews are both important tools for communication between students, teachers, and parents, but they serve different purposes and are structured differently.
Importance of Student-Led Conferences (SLCs)
- Student Ownership and Accountability: SLCs empower students to take responsibility for their learning by reflecting on their progress, setting goals, and explaining their achievements and challenges directly to their parents.
- Develop Communication Skills: Presenting their work helps students build confidence in public speaking, self-assessment, and effectively communicating their academic and personal growth.
- Promote Reflection: SLCs encourage students to engage in metacognition—thinking about their thinking. They reflect on their successes, challenges, and learning strategies.
- Build Stronger Student-Parent-Teacher Relationships: By involving students in the discussion, SLCs create a collaborative atmosphere that can strengthen the relationship among students, teachers, and parents.
- Goal Setting and Growth Mindset: Students set academic and personal goals based on the feedback they receive. This fosters a growth mindset, where the focus is on improvement rather than simply the final grade.
Differences Between SLCs and Parent Teacher Interviews
Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) | Parent-Teacher Interviews (PTIs) | |
| Focus | Student's self-reflection, goal-setting, and ownership of learning | Teacher's assessment and evaluation of the student’s performance |
| Structure | Student presents work and leads the discussion | Teacher presents information, with limited input from the student |
| Role of Student | Active participant, leading the conversation | Passive or absent; focus is on the teacher and parent dialogue |
| Goal | Empowering students to take ownership and accountability | Informing parents about the student’s academic progress |
| Communication | Three-way communication: student, parent, teacher | Two-way communication: teacher and parent, sometimes without the student |
| Focus on Skills | Emphasizes student reflection, self-assessment, and personal growth | Primarily academic performance and teacher observations |
| Engagement | Highly engaging for the student | Mainly a parent and teacher conversation, less student involvement |
In essence, SLCs are more student-centered, providing an opportunity for students to reflect on their learning journey, while parent-teacher interviews are teacher-driven, focusing more on teacher feedback and academic progress. Both formats are valuable, but SLCs emphasize the student's voice and responsibility in their learning process, contributing significantly to their personal and academic growth.
Thank you to all parents for taking the time to meet with our teachers and students this week, and for supporting the students in the SLC process.
Laura Leung
Learning and Teaching