The single most important activity you can do as a teacher is...
Conference with your students!
Of all my research, this quote from Paul Tough in Helping Children Succeed struck me like a lightening bolt.
"Those who intensely analyzed their [student] progress, spoke frankly, and in detail about their mistakes. Helping them see what they could have done differently. This careful close attention transferred to their lives as well as skills in school." (10)
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| Image Sources: https://hechingerreport.org/when-students-lead-parent-teacher-conferences/ |
Conferencing with students has a multitude of benefits. Recently I sent a follow-up email to staff about procedures. Two days later I see a teacher not following the procedure, so I gently reminded them of the procedure. The staff member seemed surprised that the procedure applied to them. Students do the same thing. If you do not speak to them directly they literally do not believe what you say to the group applies to them. Conferencing allows the student to know you are speaking to and about them. It's an opportunity to talk about their progress, and share strategies to help them improve learning. It lets them know that their academic learning is important to you. The demonstration of caring that occurs in a conference is vital in building those crucial student-teacher relationships. When student feel cared about, they do better in school.
End each conference with this question
"What can I do to help you be successful?"
Those nine words are some of the most powerful you can say to a student. Those nine words convey you care, you value them and their opinion, and you as the teacher are in it with the them.
I suggested conferencing to a colleague whose class wasn't congealing...something was off.
Here is her reflection of conferencing with students...
Conferencing with students was transformative. I conferenced with each student over multiple days at the end of class while others got started on their homework. I had given them a Quarter 1 reflection to complete in the days prior and used that as the basis of our discussion. As a result of the conferences, I realized I need to add a lesson about how to read for understanding. I was also able to share some study strategies with students who were struggling or not committing enough time to the subject. The greatest effect came with some of my quiet students who I had yet to really connect with, After the conferences, there was a tangible change in my connection with those students. I attribute the shift in that classes culture to the individual conferencing. ~LL
My experience was similar. I was able to conference with every freshman about their progress on their research sometimes multiple times. I found them reluctant to actually conference, but afterwards I found them much more personable, more willing to approach me to ask for help. The conferencing helped them to see me as an ally, and a support.
