Student-led conferences: soup to nuts

student-led conferences and engagement in PLPsLooking to move from a traditional parent conference model to student-led conferences?

Need help rolling them out to families?

Not sure how to scaffold the students themselves into leadership?

Let’s look at strategies for moving to student-led conferences with the following resources and case studies:

  • Student-Led Conferences: An Overview
  • How to help parents prep for student-led conferences
  • How do student-led conferences affect family engagement?
  • Using technology to help student-led conferences run more smoothly
  • Not quite ready for student-led conferences? Dip a toe in the water with a student-led open house.

Student-Led Conferences: An Overview

Rachel Mark is our resident expert on student-led conferences. She’s been doing them for years, and here she offers seven steps to get started. Jump in wherever you feel comfortable!


How can you help parents prep for student-led conferences?

family communication around education, social media and digital citizenshipA student-led conference (SLC) can be a beautiful thing. But parents sometimes struggle to understand them. They are, after all, a complete departure from what most parents experienced as kids.

So here’s a look at the parent’s role in a student-led conference.


How do student-led conferences affect family engagement?

Lamoille Union Middle School English teacher Katie Bryant shares how implementing student-led conferences increased student & parent engagement, both with conferencing and with implementation of personal learning plans (PLPs).


Using technology to help student-led conferences run more smoothly

Got shy middle schoolers? Want an artifact of learning for digital portfolios? Screencasting for student-led conferences can be the answer.

We hear from students at The Dorset School, in Dorset, Vermont, as to how creating a screencast to showcase their learning made them better conference presenters.


Not quite ready for student-led conferences? Dip your toes in the water with a student-led open house.

When we partner with young adolescents, we give them voice and choice. We know that is one of the best practices of middle level education. In theory, schools and teachers engage in this throughout the school experience. But let’s face it, sometimes giving up control can feel a little intimidating. Let’s look at 3 easy ways to move towards a student-led open house.