Student Led Portfolio Conferences

As one part of our assessment procedure, students at Sparhawk compile portfolios that are purposeful collections of their own work. The reason we do portfolios is that they demonstrate achievement over time. General and student-specific standards have been established and demonstrated by teachers, and goals have been set by the time portfolio collection begins.

The process of selecting material for the portfolio is necessarily a reflective one, and this, by itself, is an important learning experience. Each student knows the performance standard he or she is responsible for, remembers the obstacles that have been overcome, recognizes work that deserves to be a showpiece of their progress-to-date, and is eager to demonstrate achievement to their most important audience, their parents. The portfolio conference provides such a venue.

What is a student-led portfolio conference?

A student-led portfolio conference is an opportunity to celebrate and to question. Students invite their parents into the classroom to view their portfolios, to engage in a dialogue about classroom experience, and to demonstrate growth.

Why have student-led portfolio conferences?

Portfolios teach students to evaluate their own progress. The process of sharing portfolios with parents in a formal conference allows students to develop communication skills and it keeps parents in touch with the student's needs and accomplishments in a way that a report card with a summary grade cannot provide.