Decatur Middle School holds Student-Led Conference in cafeteria

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Sabino Gonzalez and his son Jayden review a homework assignment during the Decatur Middle School's quarterly Student-Led Conference in the cafeteria at Decatur High School May 15.
Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Sabino Gonzalez and his son Jayden review a homework assignment during the Decatur Middle School's quarterly Student-Led Conference in the cafeteria at Decatur High School May 15.

DECATUR -- When Decatur Middle School began implementing its new School of Innovation plans at the beginning of the school year in August 2017, one of the traditional methods of communication between students, parents and teachers would change in a remarkable way. This new method of communication was in full swing May 15 in the cafeteria at Decatur High School.

Decatur Middle School did away with the traditional parent-teacher conferences and implemented the Student-Led Conference, a quarterly event hosted by the middle school students. John Unger, dean of students, sees the conferences as a way of getting all three parties involved in the communication process.

"Each student has a folder with their test scores, student work samples and other important information. The students present their work and their learning to their parents during the conference," Unger explained. "The students also have computers to show their parents the online Google Classroom and their student web pages."

A benefit of the Student-Led Conference is the parents get to see firsthand all the creative things the students worked on during each quarter.

"We have noticed an increase in parent attendance at these events, and we have seen the students really start to become comfortable presenting their work to their parents," Unger said. "This is just another way we have given the ownership of learning back to the students in our School of Innovation."

General News on 05/30/2018