Describes how an elementary teacher implements student-led parent conferences four times throughout the school year. At the first conference, students, teachers, and parents set goals. At the second and third, students share their portfolios with their parents and teachers. At the fourth, students demonstrate what they have learned to their…

Describes the use of student-led conferences in place of traditional teacher-parent conference. Notes that conferences reflect curricular change to reading and writing workshops and thematic studies, belief that students should take responsibility for their own literacy behaviors, and use of portfolio assessment. (TM)

Describes the planning involved in implementing child-led parent/school conferences to review student portfolios in one second-grade classroom. Notes that the second graders conducted parent conferences very effectively, there was almost 100% attendance at the portfolio night, and no parent asked for a private conference with the teacher. Includes…

Describes several ways to share information with parents about their children's progress in physical education class, noting both traditional and nontraditional reporting methods, discussing standard report cards, and examining newer report cards that are based on stated learning standards and driven by technology. Additional methods of sharing…

Draws on practices of elementary and middle schools in Washington and Oregon to demonstrate the benefits of student-led parent conferences. Discusses parent, teacher, and student attitudes toward student-directed conferences; student portfolios, projects, and presentations; one school's fall goal-setting process that sets the stage for student…

Summarizes documents and journal articles from the ERIC database discussing topics related to parent-teacher conferences at the elementary and middle levels, including alternative activities such as student-led conferences. (Author)