The Teachers Guild
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Challenge:

How might we redesign parent-teacher conferences?

Phase: Evolve

Student Success Session Kit

Kit with tools designed to educate, engage & empower students to design their own educational experience and build a support network.

Photo of Cynthia Blair Tognotti
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Large group Open Session. Large group Open Session.
In Open Session, students anonymously contribute an idea, challenge or concern for group discussion and collaboration. Students take turns selecting a topic from the Open Session box and engage group discussion. The session evolves into brainstorming ideas to remedy challenges or concerns or expand on success. This tool empowers student to speak up, advocate and be heard. A great community builder and tool to use at home! In Open Session, students anonymously contribute an idea, challenge or concern for group discussion and collaboration. Students take turns selecting a topic from the Open Session box and engage group discussion. The session evolves into brainstorming ideas to remedy challenges or concerns or expand on success. This tool empowers student to speak up, advocate and be heard. A great community builder and tool to use at home!
Success Checklist - Students use various tools like Pre-Conference, Progress Reports, Goal Sheet, What I Need for Success and Weekly Planning Guides to prepare for Student lead conferences and to foster staying-on-track throughout the year. Parental support this process is key - with the focus on support, not hijacking the process. Success Checklist - Students use various tools like Pre-Conference, Progress Reports, Goal Sheet, What I Need for Success and Weekly Planning Guides to prepare for Student lead conferences and to foster staying-on-track throughout the year. Parental support this process is key - with the focus on support, not hijacking the process.

The kit offers teaching tools designed to educate, empower and engage students to direct their own Student Success Session (redesigned Parent Teacher Conference). Engaging in this process helps establish leadership, accountability, academic success. Students and parents are encouraged to participate in activities like Open Session to enhance open communication and center the focus on student needs. Creating and maintaining open communication empowers students to engage and advocate for themselves creating independence and the confidence to lead.  This is at the heart of a student's success.

Here's the link to the presentation https://docs.google.com/a/dtechhs.org/presentation/d/1OdeT5S4KIGLRIQfFe-kNdX8wJG3FSogDFZs2QtXqeo0/edit?usp=sharing

Some advice for parents: End each conference with the question "What Do you love most about my child?"

This idea was inspired by watching my son Michael, who made his sun flower with the seeds on the outside! Also inspired by Design Tech High School - an innovative charter school that uses Open Session to engage students in identifying academic challenges and designing student-centered solutions.

Below is a YouTube video about Visual Spatial Learners ( Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJiMjSscgk4

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Photo of Uzo
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Hi Cynthia, a beautiful idea.  I was not able to access the google doc. Have sent an access invite for permission - uzokumi2@gmail.com.  Thank you. 

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