Will It Be Better For Students To Lead Parent-Teacher Conferences?

I think you can all remember the parent-teacher conferences that we had back in elementary school. I can remember how much of a nervous wreck I was thinking about what my teacher was going to say to my mother. Since I was an exceptionally good student, I had no reason to feel that way. I never spoke in class, I did all my work, and I received good grades. But still, I was so worried about my teacher speaking about me to my mom. Perhaps because a group of "authority figures" were debating my everyday behavior, routines, and learning methods, and most likely reviewing me as a person. They were sure to chat about what strengthened or hindered my success and I knew that I would later know more about it.

In the "Room For Debate" article titled "Should Students Lead Parent-Teacher Conferences?" in the New York Times, Monica R. Martinez suggests that students should be able to facilitate parent-teacher conferences. A parent-teacher conference is a meeting between the parents and teacher to discuss the success of the student in terms of academic, social, and expected actions in the classroom. Other topics might also come up, such as homework, emotional challenges, or issues with friends. Such conferences are intended to honor the teacher's expertise and to solidify the parent-teacher relationship. Martinez claims that there is a different, easier way for parents to learn how to academically support their children – and this is through conferences run by the children.

The teacher should prepare the student for the conference through a joint analysis of their earlier work and a guided reflection about the relation between their efforts and the quality of their work. The teacher might kick off the conference with an overview of the procedure then move sideways or sit with the parents across the table to act more as a facilitator than a leader. While the unique logistics and complexities of conferences run by students differ, the basic essence is the same: This is the moment for the student to take responsibility for their own learning.

Do you agree with the author, Monica R. Martinez, that parent-teacher conferences should be led by the students? If not, how do you suggest parent-teacher conferences be done? Or should these conferences stay exactly the same?