How
a New Hampshire school gives its students more responsibility—and freedom—to
shape their academic lives
·
EMILY RICHMOND, the atlantic,
Pushing up the cuffs of his plaid
shirt and adjusting his glasses, the ninth-grader Colton Gaudette looks across
the small classroom conference table.
“Welcome
to my student-led conference,” he says.
“Thank
you for inviting me,” answers his mother, Terry Gaudette, sitting next to
Colton’s adviser and biology teacher.
This
meeting, which happens twice a year, has replaced the old format of
parent-teacher conferences at Pittsfield Middle High School, a rural New
Hampshire campus.
Before the
new format was adopted a few years ago, turnout for the traditional
parent-teacher conferences was dismal—less than 20 percent participated. Now,
more than 90 percent of parents regularly show up.
Students are
responsible for writing a letter inviting their parents or guardians to attend,
coordinating with their faculty adviser to schedule the conference, and
preparing a portfolio of their academic work.
Students are
expected to begin preparing for the conferences about a month ahead of time,
using a checklist to mark off each of the requirements—including
confirming the meeting times with all of the adults, reviewing their
portfolios, and preparing answers to the self-reflection questions.
Student-led
conferences can be a powerful tool for improving students’ engagement with
their learning process.
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