Knightly News

Think back to your own Middle School experience. You were likely issued a report card and left to digest what the grades meant as far as your success. Even more mysterious was the parent/teacher conference. As a pre-teen, most of us had no idea what took place behind the doors of the teacher’s room once our parents entered.  

Recently, Episcopal sixth graders participated in a pilot project that dispelled the mystery of the parent/teacher conference. The students were actually the leaders in a student-led conference including the sixth grader, their families and the homeroom teacher. Middle School Division Head Mark Engstrom and the sixth grade teaching team say student-led conferences allow students to reflect on their educational experience and advocate for themselves. “It’s probably true for most adults that there weren’t many windows of opportunity to discuss how we felt about school, projects, clubs, etc.,” says Engstrom. “I’m excited that our current sixth-graders have a platform to present to their parents how they are feeling about both what they are learning and who they are becoming as learners.”

Before the conferences, sixth graders had three weeks to reflect on the first quarter of the school year. They created a slide presentation to share with families and teachers about their experiences. Students were asked to think about topics such as, What did you learn about yourself? Why are you succeeding in a subject or struggling in a subject? What classroom and extracurricular activities do you most enjoy?

The Lamberts were all smiles after the sixth grade student-led conference.

The Trimble family enjoyed the sixth grade student-led conference.

After all the prep work and practice, how did it go? Sixth grader John Lambert says it was stressful in the beginning, but he ultimately found the experience to be fun. Classmate Margaret Trimble agrees. “I think it was good,” she says outside of the classroom after sharing with her teacher, mom and dad. Both students report that they learned something by reflecting on school this way. John says it has made him a better listener. He’s realized that he needs to slow down and “take it in and soak it up.” Margaret, who was initially concerned about the length of the presentation and the allocated time, found that wasn’t an issue. “I learned about speaking in front of an audience,” she says. She also says she received good advice from her audience to boost future presentations.

The student-led conferences provided the new Middle Schoolers the opportunity to show off their knowledge and their learning environment. Upon entering the classroom, Margaret pointed out highlights of the space, including the class lizard and where she sits each day. It also offered the families an opportunity to connect through student work. For example, Margaret shared a writing sample about one of her favorite memories. “This is one of my favorite memories too,” said her mom, Anna. John’s dad Laurence appreciated the opportunity to be on campus. “It’s nice to see your child in their learning environment,” he says.

Teachers and administrators hope students learn to advocate for themselves through the student-led conference experience. “This is an opportunity for a kid to be heard and receive better guidance,” says Engstrom, who offered student-led conferences at his previous two schools. He says the experiences offer students the opportunity to think more about why they are succeeding or struggling. “It gives them a voice in how they’re seen as learners,” he says. Sixth grade teacher Martha Stickle agrees and says the experience offers students the opportunity to highlight not only academics but also the places they shine outside the classroom.

Teacher Nancy Callaway says there is value in having a student’s education triad all in one place, especially during the Middle School years when students may not share much about their day. “We’re all together so we all know, and we’ve all heard it,” she says. While there may not be as many opportunities for parents to be involved in school life as students get older, student-led conferences can help engage families and bridge the communication divide.

The discussion doesn’t have to end with the completion of the student-led conferences. Engstrom offers the following tips for families to keep engaging with their students about the lessons they are learning.

• When your child finds success, ask them why they think it went well.
• When your child struggles, ask them to explain what exactly is hard about the challenge in front of them.
• Look for the trends… do they love group projects? Do they hate online platforms of learning? What do they come home excited about? 
• Connect with their teachers or someone in the office if you need help. We are here to make sure your children have a great experience at Episcopal!

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2024-2025 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.