Social Conferences Flashcards
What are the 6 components of a social conference between a teacher and a student?
- Establish what both parties notice
- Name the problem and the need to solve it
- Understanding the problem
- Generate alternatives
- Discuss logical consequences
- Agree to try
When having a social conference, what 3 things should guide the beginning of the conversation about what the teacher and student notice?
- Teacher notices positive things
- Teacher notices thing needing work
- Teacher asking what student notices
During a social conference, what language (sentence stems) should teachers use to try to understand the problem?
“I wonder if…” or “Could it be that…” and “Maybe…” followed by a possible cause of the problem.
Example: “Maybe you’re finding it hard to focus next to your friend?” instead of “Maybe you and your friend SUCK.”
What are the benefits of having social conferences with students for managing behaviour?
Any of:
- Increases student responsibility
- Separate deed from doer
- Positive use of questioning
- Focus on problem-solving
- Increase awareness of problem
- Good modelling
What are some good tips to remember when meeting with a student for a social conference?
Any of:
- Ask to meet when both parties are calm
- Clearly identify problems
- Have a plan with consequences
- Sit on equal terms
- Be ready to negotiate
True or False: Social conferences help communicate to students that you (teacher) believe they are in control of their behaviour.
True. It’s one of the benefits!
True or False: it’s rude to ask a colleague to drop in during your social conference with a student, and can make the student clam up.
False! Cover your ass! If you think someone else should be in a position to overhear the conversation for your safety then do it, whether it makes the student uncomfortable or not.
