Middle School Student-Led Conferences
Setting goals. As adults, we may think about goals in relation to our career or new year’s resolutions. Middle Schoolers had a chance to reflect on their schoolwork and set goals in each class in preparation for the Student-Led Conferences (SLC), which took place on February 2 and 3. Students presented on their strengths and opportunities for growth with their parents/guardians and their advisor. They learned how to reflect on their learning, evaluate their progress, and communicate this information to their parents and teachers.
Donned in their special dress, students arrived at their allotted time with a learning portfolio of the work that they have carefully prepared over the last couple of months. In their packet, they gathered artifacts/deliverables that celebrated their work and pieces that offered opportunities for growth for each of their subjects. They set goals for each subject and with two weeks left in the second trimester, they still have time to achieve them. The timing also allows them to start fresh in trimester three with long-term goals in mind.
“This was my first experience with Student-Led Conferences,” shared Head of Middle School Ryan Song. “I loved the smiles and conversations I had with our Middle Schoolers after their conferences. The students felt empowered and proud of what they had done. One quickly recognizes the tremendous opportunity given to our students to lead a meeting—a skill that will pay dividends for a lifetime. After experiencing a few as an observer, you begin to recognize the amount of preparation and academic reflection that each student invested into their SLC with their advisor as their guide. The process is an important interaction that strengthens the student-advisor relationship and fortifies the interconnections that define our community.”
SLC encourages students to take ownership of their learning and help them take personal responsibility for their progress. Having a parent and advisor audience for learning gives students a powerful reason to learn, persevere, make adjustments and take pride in their work. SLC can improve the communication patterns of both students and parents. Parents learn to actively listen to their student, encourage growth and how to best support their child.
In their own words, students had this to say:
Jack Levin ’25: “It gets the students more involved. You have to work hard to prepare.”
Benjamin Conroy ’24: “It is a good way for the teachers to have one-on-one time and give constructive feedback.”
Harris Feinman ’23: “They are good practice for real-world situations when you grow up.”
Natalia Semenova ’23: “They help to prepare for when you need to talk in front of people with people that you trust. You get to share your perspective on how things are going.”
La Jolla Country Day School
9490 Genesee Avenue
La Jolla, CA 92037
858-453-3440
© 2024 La Jolla Country Day School
Privacy Policy
COVID-19 Prevention Plan
La Jolla, CA 92037
858-453-3440
© 2024 La Jolla Country Day School
Privacy Policy
COVID-19 Prevention Plan
