What is a Student-Led Conference (SLC)?
In Student Led Conferences, students guide their parents through different aspects of their learning. Though teachers help students prepare for the day, the students act independently during the conferences as they share and explain their learning with their parents.
Why Student-Led Conferences?
A large number of national and international schools now hold SLC days. They are based on some key beliefs:
• SLCs help parents to understand learning from the child’s viewpoint
• SLCs show trust and confidence in the child as a learner
• SLCs promote reflection and engagement with learning
• SLCs celebrate the whole child
• SLCs develop the habits of mind of a lifelong learner
Is it really a learning day?
In many ways, the Student-Led Conference Day is one of students’ most intense learning days of the year. Teachers observe that students gain a powerful understanding of what they’ve learned as they prepare for SLCs, as well as while they guide their parents through the day.
How will it work?
Students will arrive at school with their parent/s at a scheduled time. They will follow a checklist and visit as many single subject areas as time allows. Next they will report to homeroom for an hour-long SLC session. Families may continue visiting single subject areas following the homeroom session. During the morning break and lunch period, students will go out to play, and parents can have a well-earned rest. A ‘Meeting Point’ will be clearly marked in the lobby where you can arrange to re-join your child after a break.
What time does my child have to come to school?
On March 3, your child will be given a schedule for SLC Day. Start times will be staggered throughout the day to minimize congestion. Brothers and sisters will be scheduled at different times for the homeroom portion of their SLC. There are no buses to or from school on SLC day.
How long will I have to stay in the homeroom and in the single subject rooms?
Your child will be scheduled for one hour in single subject SLC sessions (Performing Arts, Visual Arts, PE and Languages) and an hour in the homeroom SLC session (for Mathematics, English and Unit of Inquiry). After this you may continue to visit single subject areas if needed. We expect the SLC to take at most three hours per child. This will be less if you have two or three students.
What is my child’s responsibility?
Your child will be well prepared and will have a schedule to guide you through the activities in each learning area. Students will need to come to school in their PE kit for the PE section of the SLC.
What is my responsibility as a parent?
You will need to stay with your child as they move around each learning area. Teachers will all be involved in SLCs (it will be an intense day for them too!). However one element of the SLC is that teachers can watch and assess your child as they guide you.
What if I want to speak to my child’s teacher alone?
Part of the homeroom section of SLC day may include a goal-setting activity between teacher, student and parent. However SLC day is a shared learning day intended to reinforce the open partnership between learner, parent and teacher. You are welcome to make an appointment at any other time to meet with your child’s teachers or you may e-mail them with a query.
What happens if I have more than one conference?
Brothers and sisters can attend single subject SLC sessions together. While one child attends a scheduled homeroom SLC session, the other child must stay in one of the following areas supervised by Teacher Assistants: the Chinese Garden, ES library and outdoor play areas A and B.
Will my child have any time to play on the Student Led Conference Day?
Throughout the day, playground areas A and B will be open and fully supervised. Students whose brother or sister is in a homeroom SLC session can go outside to play, if they wish. All Elementary play areas will be open to students during morning break (10:30am - 11:00am) and lunchtime (12:00pm - 1:00pm). Students will be expected to play outside during morning break and lunchtime after they’ve eaten.
Can my family buy snack and lunch on the Student Led Conference Day?
Morning snack will be available for purchase in the Atrium from 9:30am - 11:00am and lunch will be available for purchase from 11:30am - 1:30pm. The menu will be ‘quick and easy’ so that we can serve the increased number of people requiring lunch. Available items will include hotdogs, quiche, sushi, hamburgers, pizza, drinks and a variety of desserts. Parents who do not have a Smart Card will need to use their child’s. You are also welcome to bring a picnic lunch from home. The Chinese Garden will be open for families to sit in to eat their lunch.
Complimentary coffee, tea and cookies will be available for PARENTS ONLY in the Founders’ Theatre throughout the day. The Lotus Lounge will not be available for parents or students on the Student Led Conference day, as it will need to be designated for staff use during the day.
What happens if I cannot attend the Student Led Conference?
If you are unable to attend Student Led Conference Day, your child must stay at home as there is no supervision available for the whole school day. You can schedule an appointment with your child’s homeroom teacher to hold a modified version of the homeroom SLC session at a convenient time. You may also make an appointment at any time to see your child’s single subject teachers.
Can I bring my children if they do not attend WAB?
We ask that children attending other schools or of non-school age do not come on SLC day. The organization of the SLC day requires parents to spend the day with their children visiting their classes.
Who can help me, if I do not know where to go or what to do?
A‘Help Desk’ will be set up in the Elementary lobby on Student Led Conference day. Parents may also contact contact Amanda Clark at aclark@wab.edu, Sarah Harris at sharris@wab.edu or Karen O’Connell at koconnell@wab.edu.
Comments from Parents after last year’s Student Led Conference Day
*Student-Led Conference Day is an excellent way to get a deep insight of everyday life at school.
*I learned what my child is doing at school through concrete documents – notes and portfolios.
*SLC is a fantastic way to make your child take responsibility and be in charge. I was very impressed – it was a great opportunity to see what is learned in single subjects as well.
*My child showed me her work with digital documentation and pictures – it contains so much information. It was impressive and interesting. My child also led the conference independently and confidently, that’s great!
*My wife and I enjoyed the fact that our children (3) all took great pride in displaying and explaining to us what they had been doing in their classes. Overall I thought that the SLC were an excellent way for WAB to explain the PYP philosophy.
*The pride my children have in showing what and how they learn – it was heart warming.
*I really like the concept for SLC. It’s wonderful to see the happy faces of the children sharing what they have been doing throughout the year.
*I liked that my child led me confidently. It really helped me to learn about my child’s homeroom curriculum.
*An excellent event which exceeded my expectations. It has re-motivated me to become more active in my daughter’s methods of learning.
*The role reversal is an interesting, important and valuable experience. I’ve seen my child gain in confidence through the progressive SLC’s and it has always been a very proud day for me. Thank you!
Please watch out for more information, including your child’s individual schedule being sent home on Monday March 3.
Karen O’Connell Amanda Clark Sarah Harris
Deputy Director/Elementary Principal Assistant ES Principal PYP Coordinator