SLC By Samantha

On Thursday, April 26th 2012, we had a SLC presentation. SLC stands for student led conference. At the end of the year all of us have to do a SLC conference. This presentation is led by the student who is presenting. Only the parents and the advisory teacher is there when we do this and only the middle schoool does the SLC conference, not the lower school. The lower school just has parent teacher conferences. For this day we have the whole day off. The SLC takes about 30 minutes each.

Weeks before the conference, we filled out a sheet about the strongest and weakest things. For me humanities and Spanish are difficult and the other subjects weren’t so hard. After we filled out the sheet we did a presentation. The teachers made a format for the presentation and we had to fill it out. Then when we finished, our advisor checked it over and we were ready to go.

My student teacher conference was at 8:30 to 9:00 and it went really well. I had things that went okay and things that went great. It was less scary then I thought, although the goal we had to make with our parents during the conference was funny. The goal was to eat more healthier and go to bed at 10 or earlier. I felt scared at first but then calm once it was over. When I was doing the conference my hands got all sweaty.  I was terrified getting ready for it but once I did the conference I knew Joe had my back, so I was okay. It was a very positive experience!  I am looking forward to the next SLC conference… well sort of…

SLC – by Zoë

The SLC presentation is a presentation we made to tell our teacher and parents what we did well this year and what we need to work on. The phrase “SLC” stands for student led conference. We started out by writing our thoughts down in a rubric. A rubric is like a graph that has subjects on the side and top and blanks that we filled in. Once we were done with the rubric we made full sentences out of the “notes” we took on the rubric and put it into a Google Presentation. We showed the presentation during our parent teacher conferences.

I prepared for the presentation by thinking about what I did over the school year and then writing the necessary information down on my computer. After all the information was written clearly, I was able to review it and organize it into full sentences to put it on my presentation. I learned that sometimes you just need to write something down and look at it before you write your final draft.

From what I know, SLC pressures almost everyone. It pressured me because I didn’t want to make it seem sloppy. On the first few days before the presentation it made me nervous that I wouldn’t get it done. At first I panicked, but then once I got an idea for my writing, I kept going.

Even though the conference was a pain to do, I think it was a better way for teachers to learn more about you and help you fix some of your problems. I’m proud of my presentation and I think my parents and teacher enjoyed it. I liked doing the presentation (and I think presenting is my talent) but I think the only hard part was getting prepared for it.

Student Led Conference 2012 by Lizzy

Unlike the majority of schools, for the second conference of the school year, the middle school students lead their own conferences. In most schools and in our lower school, parents and teachers meet and talk about the child. However, in middle school it is different. The student is  able to present as a learner. They talk about their strengths, weaknesses, celebrations (projects done well), opportunities (projects to raise the bar) and goals. The parent/parents sit with the teacher at a table, listen to the student and ask questions and make comments at the end.

To prepare for our conferences we annotated our reports. Every trimester, each student gets a report back. The teachers write about the student, things they can do better on, things they do well etc. We looked through our reports and filled in a chart to help us organize our information. After that was completed, we started working on our presentations. Our teacher sent us a template presentation, explaining what to write about on each slide.

At the conference I shared my presentation with my parent and teacher. I was nervous to present at first. However, once I started the words just came. I knew exactly what I wanted to say and I was very proud of myself. I liked being able to talk about myself and then have the teacher’s and parent’s input. Together we set a goal which I probably wouldn’t have realized to set myself. Overall, I feel that I have learned a lot about myself from this experience.

Student Led Conference-By Alex

At Poughkeepsie Day School the middle school does something called a Student Led Conference. They are thirty minutes long and the student does most of the talking. It is like a reflective presentation to show your parents, so they can understand what your learning in school. The parents and teachers aren’t allowed to talk until the students are done reading/explaining their agenda.

To prepare for the Student Lead Conferences your advisor gives you a packet which you have to fill out. On that packet you have to write three goals or achievements and examples. Then you have to write down three challenges and examples. On the next page you have to write down two goals, how you might have to achieve these goals and who could help you achieve them.

The presentation part of the conference is not that difficult. At times you feel like the actual conference is three hours. Some people can get pressured. At first you tell your parents and teacher your strengths and achievements. Your parents comment on what you say….you have a short discussion. You do the same thing with challenges and goals. At the end of the conference your parents, teacher and you make your third goal.

I learned that I make careless mistakes and how to fix them. I think that the pressure from the S.L.C has taught me to have confidence in myself. For me, I need  to be a more confident learner. I think Student Led Conferences are a great way to reflect on yourself.

Student Led Conference by Chris

The Student Led Conference or SLC is not like a normal parent teacher conference in which the teacher talks to your parents about you academically. In a SLC the student leads the conference telling the parents and teachers their strengths, positive learning experiences, weaknesses and disappointments. We also set goals for the future to help with things such as time management or test taking. We prepare for this conference by finding examples of our work that show those points and are good examples of our goals.

We started preparing for this by looking at our report cards and pinpointing good and/or bad things. We looked at these pinpoints and found examples of our work that match them. We then brought together all the self-reflections we did in each class and used them to fill out a graph.
After that graph was completed we used it to gather any more necessary examples. Finally, we put down all of our information into a packet that we brought to the conference.

The actually presentation was very easy for me. I think this is because I had a Student Led Conference last year and I know what it is and how to do it. We begin the conference with the positive examples and strengths. After discussing the positive stuff we moved on to the negative examples and weaknesses. Finally, as the SLC comes to a close we talk about our goals and also set another goal with our parents and teacher.

The biggest thing that I learned from the SLC is how I work as a learner. I learned that time management was an issue and now one week later I am already making adjustments to help me with time management. I also learned that my weaknesses are most of the time something very specific. They would be for example “Has trouble telling time in Spanish” not something like
“ Does not understand Spanish at all 🙁 .” Another important thing I learned is that if you have a class that you don’t like at all or you do bad in you still have to keep working hard to try to get better in it or else it will always bother you.

SLC……. Student Led Conference or SLC…….. Sharing Learning Cooperatively.

Student Led Conference by Zander

At school last week, we had our Student Led conferences. Student Led conferences are like parent teacher conferences but the students lead them and present. The conferences were each thirty minutes long. At school before the conference, each advisory prepared by either making an agenda or building a PowerPoint. All the kids had to fill out a few sheets on what we are good at, what we are not as good at and how to fix these problems. I made a PowerPoint presentation on my strengths and weaknesses. Each few pages of my slide show talked about my subjects and how I am doing in them.

When I was working on my PowerPoint and looking back on my year, I learned quite a few things. I learned I was really bad at fractions, I rushed a lot of my work, don’t always think very hard, and I have messy handwriting. Thankfully though, I had many more good things than bad things. I also felt like my slide show was good. It was colorful and full of pictures.

When I was driving to school before the conference, I was sick as a dog. I just could not think and thoughts were racing through my head. Would I do really bad? Would I end up getting actually sick? Would I faint? It seemed like a never ending nightmare I could not escape but when I actually presented, it was fine and I did much better than I expected. When the conference was over, I felt like a huge weight that was on my back became light and I was feeling great about my self.

Student Led Conference By Joe

On the 28th of April, I had a Student Led Conference. A student led conference is a conference led by you, the student. A SLC is a great way for you to talk and show your work you have been doing all year long.  It is a way that allows your parents to feel very fortunate for sending you to school. Student led conferences happen in middle school not lower school.

To prepare for these conferences you have to do a couple steps. The first thing is the teachers give you a couple of forms and self assessments to fill out. After you’re done doing that you gather two pieces of work from each subject you learn from. One piece of work has to be challenging work and the other great work. After this you put it into a filing folder and you are ready to go. I found the preparation a little challenging because of time issue. I had two other reports going on at this time and extra homework. I managed to get it in at the right time but it was stressful. In our class we worked on it for about two weeks. We only had advisory times so again a time issue!

After preparation came the presentation (conference). I had done this a year ago and I found it rather easy. This year my conference went well. I talked for a long time on each subject and gave good suggestions, comments and Ideas. I was not scared at all and in the end my teacher and mom and I came up with good goals and I had a very nice conference.

I learned some different things that I struggle at this year that I did not know about. Coming from a teacher’s point of view there are many more things that they notice!! I was very pleased with myself and I noticed that I am very good at leading conferences!! 🙂

SLC By Anni

At PDS every year we have student led conferences. In these conferences students are the ones who lead the conferences. In different schools the children are not even alowed in the conference. Almost everyone anticipates these conferences for a very long time. The prep is also massive.

For the prep we first have to look through our reports and highlight anything that catches our eye. We then had to fill out a bunch of paperwork that involved writing our strengths, weaknesses and some goals. We also had to collect different pieces of work from different classes that we thought show cased our strengths and weaknesses. I personally think that there is too much prep for such a small thing.  We basically have the same thing in October. We have no prep and I think everybody does perfectly fine. We have a student parent teacher conference in the beginning of the year as well. I think that they are basically the same things except less prep.

For me the presentation was very easy. This is my second time presenting in this conference so it came pretty easy for me. I don’t think that I learned anything about myself that I did not already know. I think that my teacher and my parents learned some things about me but I did not learn anything.

Overall I really like the student led conferences, lthough I do not think that there should be as much prep for these conferences.

Student Led Conference by Stella

In my school we have student led conferences. Student led conferences are basically the same thing as parent-teacher conferences, but the student acts as the teacher. I think it is a really good way to have conferences for a few reasons.  The first reason why I think it is good to have student led conferences is because it is a way for the student to address their difficulties and to have their strengths be recognized by themselves and their parents/teachers. Also students really get to analyze themselves as students and a learners.

The preparation for the student led conference has many steps. The first step was to look over our report and highlight or write down things that we are good at, things that we are not great at and things that we are okay at. The next step is filling out many self reflections for each class. We were asked to state our weaknesses and your strengths and set goals to help us in those areas. Next we gathered work that we are proud of and our work that we are not so proud of from each class. We use these pieces of work in our conference as examples of our strengths and weaknesses as a learner.

During the conference we use all of the work that we put together as an agenda for the conference. We talk about weaknesses, strengths and goals that we want to set for the remainder of the year. Our parents and teachers talk about us as learners and students. We discuss our ups and downs in all of your subjects. At the end of the conference we all set a goal together.

Through the process of the preparation for the conference I have learned that math is my hardest subject. I have also learned that I am good about turning in my homework on time in all of my classes. This year I have not had my conference yet but I will be having it soon.

S.L.C. — Charlie

A student led conference is where the student presents to his/her parent/s about how he/she has done in school. The parent is silent while the student talks about his/her weaknesses, strengths and goals. At the end of the conference the student, teacher and parent make a third goal.

Before the student lead conference we had to do a lot….A LOT of preparation. First we had to look at our report and circle anything we thought we could have done better on or anything we thought was important. Next we found all of our reflections from all of our academic classes — Math, Spanish, Science and Humanities and our advisory reflection. Then we gathered two examples of work for all of the classes.  It could be something we thought we did well on or something we thought we could have done better on.

I was not there when the other kids were at the conferences. I hope my conference will go well and that I remember to state all of my strengths, weaknesses and goals! I hope to show my parents all of my examples from classes and talk about all of the classes and how I am as a student in them.

I learned that I do not prepare for test effectively, although I am getting better at Spocab. I learned that I work better when I stand up as oppose to sitting down and that I do a better job of homework when I do the homework in the morning. I also learned that I am a good reader……I kind of already knew that!