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Middle School Students Take the Lead on Conferences

In January, WFS middle school students take the reins and lead portfolio-led conferences with parents/guardians and advisors. This approach not only fosters a sense of accountability for the students but also strengthens the partnership between parents/guardians, students, and advisors. The two main objectives of these conferences are: 
  1. For students to present evidence supporting their significant progress toward becoming proficient in select skills in their courses.
  2. For students to set two to three goals that can be achieved by the end of the school year. By identifying essential academic skills for targeted improvement, it makes abstract concepts such as “communication” and “collaboration” more tangible. 
“The process of presenting work from the first semester as a method of identifying key skills or ‘habits of mind’ to develop further enables students to become more aware of and invested in applying these skills in the second semester,” said Jonathan Huxtable, Middle School Head. “This is not easy. The emphasis in these presentations is not to have students present to their parents/guardians and their advisors glitzy and polished pieces, but to use their own work, however simple or flawed, to engage in a conversation about the most important skills they need to develop during their middle school years.”

“Seeing Grant find evidence to support his growth and challenges was impressive,” said 7th grade parent Meghan Burns. “It was clear he really made connections and was engaged in the process.”

Through the activity of selecting, organizing, and presenting their work, students engage in introspection, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth for the remainder of the school year. They also gain critical presentation skills.

"Our daughter delivered her presentation with so much confidence!" said 6th grade parent Greg Mand ‘87. “Witnessing my child give a presentation was a highlight. I was impressed by the goal setting, how they achieved their goals, and their self-assessment. It’s what most adults in the corporate world do,” added 6th grade parent Helen Weiss.

The student-led portfolio conference not only promotes student engagement and agency but also assures their growth as they head into their high school years. “I think the conference lets 8th graders recognize their areas of improvement as they head to high school, making them aware of where they are,” said 8th grade parent, Eva Feito.

At the conclusion of the second semester, students will reflect on and evaluate their efforts toward meeting the goals they set for themselves in these mid-year conferences. Their written reflections are then published in their end-of-year grade reports.

For an example of one of these conferences, please click here.
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