FEEL

WE EXPERIENCED

It was always common sense that student voice would be invited as an equal participant in the designing evaluation and assessment of their learning journey at Riverside.

Watch Kiran share the instance that led to the creation of this process.

3:27

Try the empathy lens:


Do an appraisal meeting for one of your teachers in his/her absence and just announce the results of the performance review. Now, do another meeting with a teacher and offer her/him the opportunity to take ownership of her/his growth and areas for improvement. Notice the difference in the two conversations!

Try the empathy lens

OUR INSIGHTS

  • When children came to Riverside with report cards from other ecosystems, we often found that there was a disconnect between what a report card said and who the child actually was. Sometimes, children with a high percentage/grade couldn’t think through or hold a conversation and some were naturally confident of their communication even with low grades. The report card didn’t seem to offer justice to the child’s thinking and identity.

  • We sensed that young children tend to believe what they are told. For instance, if they are told their identity is a grade, they would believe that. Likewise, if invited to choose and take ownership of their learning and shown respect and pride, they would believe that as well.

  • We experimented with asking children as young as 5-8 years to compile and present their work portfolios to their parents. When given the opportunity to choose what they wanted to include in the portfolio, it brought a lot of ownership and accountability to the child.

IMAGINE

WHAT IF...

the child's journey of growth was made visible not just from a teacher's point of view but also from the child's own perspective?

WHAT DOES RESEARCH SAY

We DESIGNED:

A process called 'Student Led Conference' (SLC) that:

  • was co-created to make visible a student's learning journey through a portfolio of work;

  • invited students to choose their work samples based on a co-created rubric. Students undertook self-scrutiny and were not pitched against each other. The whole idea was collaborative rather than competitive;

  • offered children the opportunity of refinement through peer scrutiny by their buddies and others before the final presentation;

  • gave parents an opportunity to see their child's progress within several domains and dimensions, academic performance being only one aspect. This often led to a sense of new respect and understanding of their child and also of the school's values and pedagogies.

DO

HERE IS WHAT WE DO

This process video helps make visible the design and implementation of a Student Led Conference.

09:23

In the above video, you will get a glimpse of how students prepare and present their portfolio of work during a SLC and also how SLC helps parents in getting a better understanding of the learning journey of their child.

STAKEHOLDER INSIGHTS

In this section, Riverside edu-heroes share strategies and insights from their experience of the process and how the process has impacted their practice.

  • 5:21

    1) FAQ Video

    Watch Deepa share some interesting insights on the Student Led Conference (SLC) and her recommendations for it's implementation.

  • 5:02

    2) Impact Video

    Watch how SLC has impacted Deepa’s practice and helped her to become an ally of her students in their learning journey!

Resources

Checklist INVITATION EMAIL FILLED PORTFOLIO 1 FILLED PORTFOLIO 2 PARENT FEEDBACK FORM SAMPLE INVITATION VIDEO

TIPS FOR THE LEADERS

  • Ensure that teachers spend time establishing the relevance of the SLC with both students and parents, as this understanding of the purpose is what will make the process truly enriching.

  • Advise teachers to constantly help children articulate Why they chose the pieces in the portfolio along with the What and How of what they learnt.

  • Ensure that the SLCs take place within the school premises and the interaction between the child and their parents should be private but not isolating.

  • Also, give interaction time between student and parents of 30-45 minutes. Ensure that parents are attentive listeners in this sharing and don't miss appreciating the choice and voice of their child.

  • Don’t rush the process and ensure that there is enough time to have at least two peer scrutinies before the final presentation. This will give children the opportunity for refinement and they won’t resort to memorizing and rote learning of what they have to present.

  • Also, give interaction time between student and parents of 30-45 minutes.