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Transformative Learning Experiences with Kyle Wagner is a show created for DISRUPTORS and INNOVATIVE EDUCATORS looking to create more socially, globally, emotionally aware citizens and student-centered classrooms through transformative project- based learning experiences. Through 1:1 interviews, Kyle dissects learning experiences from EDNOVATORS just like you, and unpacks the simple strategies and structures that allowed them to happen. To date, over 1,000 classrooms have been transformed through 1,000 + learning experiences.

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Can students LEAD parent/teacher conferences? Let students lead, save time, empower learners

Mar 24, 2026

What if the conversation that matters most at parent-teacher conferences wasn't between you and the parents—but between the student and their parents?

In this episode I walk you through one of the most transformative shifts you can make in your classroom: student-led conferences.

Picture this—students presenting their own work, their growth, their challenges to their parents while you blend into the background. Parents stay 30 minutes past their scheduled time, not because they have to, but because they can't stop listening. This is what happens when you empower young people to own their learning story.

In this episode, you'll discover:

  • How to shift from sharing test scores to building portfolios that give students concrete evidence of their growth and achievements
  • Why reflecting on growth rather than performance unlocks deeper learning conversations and student agency
  • How to prepare parents for a completely different conference experience—including the exact language and ground rules that set the tone
  • Practical ways to implement student-led conferences at any level, from formal presentations to informal peer exhibitions, without overhauling your entire system

Listen now to learn the three simple shifts that transform your students into confident presentors of their own learning. 

Get the Student-Led Conference Prep Form for FREE: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10mRNbkBf7XELRio0eGbn-2l6mvVkAWqr/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=102614656534010700761&rtpof=true&sd=true

Get the 12 Shifts Book: https://www.amazon.com/Where-Teacher-Kyle-Wagner/dp/1032484713