Student-Led Isn't Just for Conferences

Giving students ownership of their learning and learning needs builds skills for future success as students lead their own IEPs.

A 7th grader led his IEP with a self-designed PowerPoint of his schedule, strengths, weaknesses, and accommodations.

In February I ask you to take a risk in your instruction, and as you reflect on your progress on that, consider how often kids take risks each day.  A student presenting their IEP to a group of adults, including their parents, teachers, counselor, and principal is definitely a risk!

An Epiphany

How often do we involve parents in their children's learning?  Let's be honest, is it once a year at Student-Led Conferences?  Do we include Open House and Curriculum Nights and say that it's three times per year?  Now, ask yourself this --- is it enough?

I don't think so...

In Educational Leadership's article "Parents as Writing Partners," they offer great suggestions for engaging parents in the writing process.

Consider how many of our parents would take a more active role if they had questions suggested to them, questions such as...

• What do you want your reader to know right away?
• How are you going to tailor this piece to your audience?
• What will be the tricky part -- where it might get confusing?  Let me know when you're at that part, and we can talk it out if you want.  (Ehrenworth, April 2014, pg. 24)

But, this shouldn't be limited to writing.  Consider the implications for all content areas:  the rich dinnertime conversations that could be had about science, technology, arts, and history.

Part of our back-to-school PD will be focused on engaging parents in student learning.  To help you prepare, begin thinking of dinnertime conversation starters that you can send home at the beginning of units, or on a quarterly basis.

We have so much to gain by expanding the classroom into the home!