Student-Led Conferencing Using Showcase Portfolios

Foreword by John P. Robson

"This book creates a powerful process that motivates students to self-assess, revise, and take pride in their work. It provides practical, tested strategies to implement the process in a clear, organized and meaningful way."
From the Foreword by John P. Robson
Head of Social Sciences, Rideau High School
Ottawa-Carleton Board of Education

"Made me want to try out all the great ideas. This book is a must for a teacher′s bookshelf."
Carol Scearce, President
Enlightening Enterprises, Beverly, MA

This guide is filled with great ideas for improving student motivation, raising the learning standards in your classroom, and involving parents in their children′s education.

Portfolios and student-led conferences can each be effective tools that show how well students are learning. Put these two tools together and offer your students the opportunity to:

• Take responsibility for their own work
• Develop organizational skills
• Get involved in the assessment of their learning
• Include their parents in their learning experiences
• Learn how to set and meet realistic goals

Your grade-school-age students will be able to share and "brag on" their good work, practice communication skills, and enjoy uninterrupted time with their parents. Middle school students can demonstrate their growing maturity and competence. High schoolers can view portfolio presentation as good practice for future job interviews.

Help all students realize the benefits of doing their best, not just "getting by." Teach students the skills they′ll need to master for lifelong learning―and lifelong success.

Includes 34 follow-up forms that lead you from planning through post-conference follow-ups.

Barbara Benson is a teacher and international consultant with more than 20 years of experience in middle school, high school, and university education. She works with school systems in various capacities such as helping align curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices with higher state standards, facilitating the development of performance assessment tasks such as student-led conferencing, and assisting teachers as they apply current theory and research to their classrooms. Her workshops are practical and classroom focused, covering many topics related to improving student learning. She has presented sessions at the national conferences of the National Staff Development Council and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. She has published numerous articles on classroom practice and a book, How to Meet Standards, Motivate Students and Still Enjoy Teaching (2003). As a full-time consultant, she missed working directly with students, so Benson returned to the classroom in 2004 and is teaching middle school in Ashe County, North Carolina.

Susan Barnett has been in the field of education for 33 years.  She has an AB Degree in Early Childhood from Marshall University, in Huntington, West Virginia and a Master Degree in School Administration from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. Her work experience includes teaching grades k-4, working as an educational consultant with school systems throughout the United States and Canada, and serving as a team reviewer with the North Carolina Assistance Teams form 1997 to 1999. In addition to her teaching and consulting, Susan has presented at several international conventions over the years including National Staff Development Council and the 2000 International ASCD Convention in New Orleans. She is has authored several articles about innovative teaching strategies and conducts workshops on reading in the content area, writing, curriculum alignment, and student-led conferencing. Susan is currently serving as K-12 Curriculum Consultant for Language Arts, Social Studies, and Foreign Language for the Caldwell County School System. She is married, has two teen-age sons, and lives in Lenoir, North Carolina.