As SLC’s are approaching, I realized how truly nerve racking an experience it actually is. Every few marking periods, students at IHPCH have to experience Student Led Conferences where the teacher and parents listen to them as they present their grades. This conference is no walk in the park as students have to explain their work ethic as well as why their grades are the way they are while facing feedback from both the teacher and their parents. When SLC’s begin to approach the halls of IHPCH are filled with the whispers of students, some saying “I’m so nervous”, while others say, “I just want school to be over”. These conferences often take place on zoom where the student has to read aloud a script as a way to lead the meeting professionally and smoothly. With lots of pressure on the shoulders of IHPCH students, we all have to go into SLC’s hoping for a smooth meeting. Although a lot of students often have pretty good grades, the thought of being the leader and often the only voice heard during the meeting makes one very anxious. Students usually acknowledge the fact that they are very proud of their grades, however they also wonder if the grades will meet the high expectations of their parents. The meeting depends on how relaxed your parents are when it comes to your grades as well as how good you have performed so far during the school year.
This year in particular, SLC’s will be taking place right before spring break. This puts an even higher amount of pressure on students as they fear punishment during a time where they are supposed to be relaxing, due to their grades not being high enough. I believe that SLC’s can be seen as an excuse to push students to their maximum potential or it can be seen as an unnecessary stress inducing obstacle throughout the school year. Student’s opinions on SLC’s vary based on their perspective of their academic performance as well as how they infer others will rank them based on their grades. Nonetheless, no matter what anyone may think, students and teachers alike just hope for the best this year and for an easy transition into summer vacation.
