At Polaris, we participate in Student-Led Conferences twice a year. Instead of teachers and parents talking about a student while the student sits there and listens, the student presents his or her own learning, academic progress, and a plan for continuing to improve. It is a way to take responsibility for one’s own learning, and it helps students to think about their successes as well as ways they can continue to grow.
An organized portfolio makes it easy to show others the products created, the challenges faced, and the learning experienced. At the primary levels, students participate in a similar process where each student is a part of the conversation about their learning and growth. As students become leaders of their own learning in upper grades, they will take on the leadership role in the conferences.