In 5th grade, I conduct student-led conferences. Students are present, along with their parent(s). Before the conference I write celebrations and concerns (both academic and behavior). We go over them during the conference and then create goals together for second quarter. I have noticed, over the past few years, student-led conferences does the following:
Minimalizes he-said, she-said issues between parents, students, and teachers
Allows for an open conversation between parents and students (sometimes this does not happen at home )
Encourages students to take ownership of their education
Presents a unified front between parents and teachers
PS – After the conference, I copy the form we filled out together and send it home in their weekly folder. Parents appreciate the documentation and I encourage them to refer back to the goals throughout the quarter.