One-on-one conferences: The first report card

Objectives:

 For the teacher to internalize the performance indicators given by each of a students teachers in a context in which the student can provide clues as to the next steps for intervention, if this is necessary.

Enable the student to understand their grades as feedback, and to develop their own constructive strategies for next steps.

 

Activities: 

Set up a chair in the hallway or some other private space that is separated from the rest of the group.

Invite students one at a time to receive their report cards from you.

Before handing over the report card, look it over thoroughly.

Hand it over to the student and ask "What do you think?"  Expect this to go in very different directions for each kid.

All emotional hell can break loose here, so be prepared to catch it.

Try to move the conversation to constructive places like: "What's next?"  "How can I help?" "What can we do to make sure...?"

If the student has performed well, offer ebuillent praise and evoke the next level of achievement, to outside enrichment.  Advance the goal-setting agenda for the student.