For the past few years, I have invited my fourth grade students every fall to join me and their parents in a half-hour conference in which we discuss their strengths and areas for growth, set a goal for the year, and plan next steps for everyone involved. I quickly realized that while involving students in these kinds of conversations was a step in the right direction, it would not alone ensure that students made sufficient progress in building on their strengths, improving their areas for growth, and accomplishing their goals. I developed structures to support them at home and in school -- including follow-up conferences throughout the year and class time for goal-related work and presentations as well as shared note taking and audio recordings. I use similar structures to assess and discuss students' reading and writing. They provide individualized parent education and help students direct their own learning and experience success, while developing a growth mindset.

1. Student-Led
Conferences and 20%
Time Projects for
Elementary Classrooms
goo.gl/VubBis
Trevor Mattea | August 12, 2016
trevormattea.com
@tsmattea

2. Tentative Agenda and Learning
Targets
Tentative Agenda
● Introductions and Framing (10 min.)
● Reading Conferences and Re-Assessments (5 min.)
● Writing Conferences and Re-Assessments (5 min.)
● Independent Project Conferences and Presentations (10 min.)
● Individual Goal Presentation Video (12 min.)
● Individual Interest Presentation Video (12 min.)
● Takeaways, Final Questions, and Raffle (5 min.)
Learning Targets
● I can define student-led conference and 20% time project.
● I can identify parts of student-led conferences and 20% time projects.
● I can identify ways to integrate student-led conferences and 20% time
projects with classroom instruction.

3. Student-Led Conferences and 20% Time
Projects for Elementary Classrooms
● View Slides: goo.gl/VubBis
● Watch Video: goo.gl/37XRkz
● Connect with Workshop Participants: goo.gl/8qNeEU ⬅ To Enter the Workshop Raffle
● Give Feedback: goo.gl/Kl5UwN
● Access Materials from Other Workshops: goo.gl/amgbB6
● Digital Portfolio: trevormattea.com
● Email: info@trevormattea.com
● Twitter: @tsmattea
● Receive Monthly Newsletter: eepurl.com/bc45zP
● Student Writing Books on Amazon: amzn.com/w/1W0CCF7DD0SK8
● Student Photography Book on Blurb: goo.gl/2DqOVH
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4. Defining Student-Led Conference
A student-led conference, sometimes called an
S.L.C., is a school meeting in which a student
attends along with both her teacher and
parents in order to provide greater insight into
her interests, strengths, and areas for growth.
Such a meeting may be structured to plan a
20% time project, assess learning, or discuss
progress, while also providing parent
education.

5. Defining 20% Time Project
An 20% time project project, sometimes called
a genius hour project, is a task undertaken by
an individual student in place of part of her
regular classroom work over an extended
period of time to utilize motivation and
creativity. Such a project may be designed by a
student to accomplish an individual goal or
share an individual interest initially with
classmates and ultimately the outside
community.

6. Reading Conferences
● Engagement Conversation
● Success Criteria and Rubric Review
● Fluency Assessment
● Comprehension Assessment
● Parent Education
● Follow-Up Email with Audio Recordings

7. Reading Re-Assessments
● Engagement Conversation
● Success Criteria and Rubric Review
● Fluency Assessment Audio Recording
● Fluency Self-Assessment
● Fluency Re-Assessment
● Comprehension Audio Recording
● Comprehension Self-Assessment
● Comprehension Re-Assessment

8. Resources
● Student DRA Levels
● DRA Teacher Observation Guide
● DRA Success Criteria
● DRA Rubric
● DRA Fluency Audio Recording
● DRA Comprehension Audio Recording 1
● DRA Comprehension Audio Recording 2
● DRA Assessment
● DRA Self-Assessment
● DRA Re-Assessment

9. Writing Conferences
● Engagement Conversation
● Success Criteria and Rubric Review
● Initial Read-Through
● Organization Assessment
● Content Assessment
● Style Assessment
● Conventions Assessment
● Follow-Up Email with Google Docs

10. Writing Re-Assessments
● Engagement Conversation
● Success Criteria and Rubric Review
● Initial Read-Through
● Organization Self-Assessment
● Content Self-Assessment
● Style Self-Assessment
● Conventions Self-Assessment
● Writing Re-Assessment

11. Resources
● Student Opinion Piece Levels
● Opinion Piece Success Criteria
● Opinion Piece Rubric
● Opinion Piece Assessment
● Opinion Piece Self-Assessment
● Opinion Piece Re-Assessment

12. Connecting Student-Led
Conferences to 20% Time Projects

13. 20% Time Project Conferences
● Conference Notes Review
○ Strengths
○ Areas for Growth
○ Independent Project
○ Next Steps
○ Feedback or Discussion Notes
● Follow-Up Email with Google Doc

14. 20% Time Project Presentations
● Introduction
● Presentation or Question
● Feedback or Discussion
● Response to Feedback or Discussion
● Follow-Up Email with Google Doc

15. 20% Time -- Goal Presentations

16. 2014-2015 Goals and Feedback
● A.'s Goal -- Public Speaking
● ​A.'s Goal -- Writing
● ​C.'s Goal -- Managing Frustration
● ​C.'s Goal -- Managing Silliness
● ​C.'s Goal -- Public Speaking
● ​D.'s Goal -- Print
● ​E.'s Goal -- Behavior
● ​E.'s Goal -- Grammar
● I.'s Goal -- Managing Frustration
● ​I.'s Goal -- Vocabulary
● J.'s Goal -- Working with Others
● ​K.'s Goal -- Focusing
● In-Class Planning Document
● At-Home Planning Document
● Conference Graphic Organizer
● Goal Presentation Sentence Frames
● L.'s Goal -- Asserting Herself
● ​L.'s Goal -- Cursive
● M.'s Goal -- Keeping Calm
● ​M.'s Goal -- Self-Esteem
● ​M.'s Goal -- Writing
● ​O.'s Goal -- Public Speaking
● S.'s Goal -- Cursive
● ​S.'s Goal -- Reading
● ​S.'s Goal -- Writing and Math
● ​T.'s Goal -- Cursive
● ​T.'s Goals -- Cursive and Reading
● ​Z.'s Goal -- Print

17. 2015-2016 Goals and Feedback
● A.'s Goals -- Overcoming Obstacles and
Supporting Other Readers
● A.'s Goal -- Time Management
● ​A.'s Goals -- Time Management and Reading
● ​B.'s Goals -- Reading and Turning In
Homework
● C.'s Goal -- Time Management
● D.'s Goal -- Reading and Public Speaking
● E.'s Goal -- Writing
● G.'s Goal -- Reading
● G.'s Goals -- Public Speaking, Reading, and
Math
● ​I.'s Goal -- Reading
● ​J.'s Goal -- Reading
● K.'s Goals -- Focusing and Time Management
● K.'s Goals -- Public Speaking and Taking His
Time
● K.'s Goals -- Reading, Writing, and Math
● ​K.'s Goal -- Writing
● ​K.'s Goal -- Writing
● ​M.'s Goals -- Math and Focusing
● ​M.'s Goal -- Math
● M.'s Goals -- Public Speaking and Cursive
● M.'s Goal -- Reading
● M's Goal -- Reading
● M.'s Goal -- Trying Not to Shout Out​​​
● N.'s Goals -- Time Management and Public
Speaking
● R.'s Goals -- Showing His Math Work and
Stepping Back
● ​S.'s Goal -- Public Speaking
● ​S.'s Goal -- Public Speaking
● In-Class Planning Document
● At-Home Planning Document
● Conference Graphic Organizer
● Goal Presentation Sentence Frames

18. 20% Time -- Interest Presentations

19. Resources
● Ruby Bridges Presentation
● Gender Pay Gap Introduction
● Gender Pay Gap Survey Results
● Gender Pay Gap Social Media Findings

20. Takeaways and Final Questions
● How do you now intend to use student-led conferences and 20%
time projects in your own practice?
● What questions do you still have?
● Whenever you are ready, please complete the anonymous Google
Form to give me feedback (goo.gl/Kl5UwN).

21. Recommended Reading
● Berger, Ron. An Ethic of Excellence: Building a Culture of
Craftmanship with Students. Portsmouth: Heinemann.
2003. Print.
● Hattie, John. Visible Learning and the Science of How We
Learn. New York: Routledge. 2013. Kindle.
● Patton, Alex. Work That Matters: The Teacher's Guide to
Project-Based Learning. London: Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
2012. Online. 23 May 2013.
● Vander Ark, Tom and Carri Schneider. Deeper Learning:
For Every Student Every Day. Getting Smart. 2014. Online.
22 Jan 2015.