The intention of this paper is to give rise to reflections about the purpose of parent-teacher conferences in the light of children's rights to freely express their views on matters affecting their lives, as outlined in Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This will set the stage for a discussion of the obstacles that hinder students' rights and their authentic engagement as valuable contributors to their own school lives. The project is based on an empirical study of student’s participation in parent-teacher conferences within the context of the Danish education system. However, the study has international relevance for all countries in which parent-teacher conferences is part of their school system.

In recent decades, there has been a growing market orientation in the education sector (Ball, 2003; Biesta, 2009; Helms, 2017/2020; Steensen, 2023), alongside with an increased focus on optimizing both schools' and students' performance which has resulted in a heightened demand for individual achievement. Alongside the shift towards enhanced evaluation practices in the school system in general, including the parent-teacher conferences (Helms & Steensen 2023), there has been limited attention to students' right to be heard, have their opinions respected, and participate in decisions related to their own lives cf. Article 12. International research (Förster 2016; Kotthoff 2015; Hofvendahl 2006; Lendrum et al. 2015; Tholander, 2011) as well as Danish studies on parent-teacher conferences (Helms & Steensen 2023; Helms 2017, 2020; Knudsen 2010; Kryger 2012; Kryger and Ravn 2007) have consistently shown that students are not provided  with genuine opportunities to contribute with their own voices and perspectives in the parent-teacher conferences. The communication is generally observed as predominantly one-way with teachers addressing students and parents, resulting in student reluctance due to the expectation of being assessed. Taking these aspects into account our main research question is:

What dynamics emerge in the parent-teacher conference regarding the involvement of students' voices and how can we develop practices in school where students' right to express their viewpoints about their own lives is given space and taken seriously?

Drawing from the theoretical framework by Gert Biesta, we seek to illustrate how involving students primarily as objects of external demands displaces participation as subjectification. Subjectification, in this context, refers to the opportunity for students to exercise their freedom, bring their voices into play and be acknowledged as subjects of their own lives. Subjectification also involves becoming a democratic person. Biesta encourages reflections on the opportunities for democratic action and "learning-in-action" we create within the school. What schools can do—or at least should try to do—is to make democratic action possible (Biesta, 2007). If our objective is to foster democratic citizens or students capable of making informed decisions and taking action in an uncertain world, the school must provide students with the opportunity to realize that they possess a voice, and that this voice holds significance in the world.

Furthermore, drawing on the theory of Hartmut Rosa, particularly the concepts of alienation and resonance, we explore students' subjective experiences of participation in parent-teacher conferences as both zones of potential alienation and spaces of resonance within the school environment (Rosa 2021). In addition to Biesta's and Rosa's perspectives, we integrate theoretical viewpoints that directly address children's rights. Harry Shier (2017) contributes with the perspective of children's active agency and emphasizes the importance of recognizing children as vital contributors to discussions about their education and well-being, rather than passive recipients. This viewpoint aligns with Laura Lundy's work, which enriches the discussion by underscoring the necessity for authentic engagement and the inclusion of students' voices in shaping their educational experiences (Lundy, 2007). 

In our methodological framework, we adopt a theoretical perspective informed by practice theory (Schatzki 1996, Kemmis et al. 2014) and draw inspiration from Lindblad & Sahlström's depiction of classroom research (1998). Lindblad & Sahlström emphasize that classroom research aligns with a specific form of ethnography, namely ethnographic classroom research. This approach is driven by the aspiration to generate knowledge 'from below,' focusing on specific interactions, negotiations, and strategies in everyday life (Lindblad & Sahlström, 1998, p. 226). The analysis is based on a study conducted in 2021-2022, with a particular focus on students' perspectives on parent-teacher conferences. The empirical data encompasses observations from 71 parent-teacher conferences in the 8th and 9th grades, followed by interviews involving students, teachers and parents at five distinct schools. Three of these schools are located in a middle-class area within a medium-sized Danish town, while the remaining two are situated in areas facing socio-economic disadvantages. The interview data includes four focus group interviews involving a total of 22 students, five interviews with parents, and five interviews with one teacher from each school. The choice of focus group interviews was made with the intention of reducing the asymmetrical power dynamic between children and adults in the interview situation (Warming, 2011). The intention was that the students, in interaction with their peers, would express themselves more freely and engage in mutual meaning-making discussions (Halkier, 2010). We observed a high level of participation and discussion in the interviews, both through students’ building on each other’s responses and through disagreements about whether the parent-teacher conference was perceived as predominantly positive or negative. The research project primarily focuses on illuminating the practice of parent-teacher conferences for students in underprivileged situations. Consequently, the analyses predominantly delve into the conferences and interviews of these specific students.

Building upon Rosa's resonance perspective and incorporating insights from Biesta, our study highlights that when students perceive parent-teacher conferences as assessments of their performance, it creates an unsafe environment for those who already struggle to conform to the school's demands and expectations. Our analyses further emphasize that reducing students to objects evaluated by external criteria denies them the chance to voice their perspectives on the school life they are expected to engage in. Simultaneously, in our observations of parent-teacher conferences, we gain insight into teachers' efforts to incorporate students' perspectives in the conversation. The emergence of a more experimental practice forms an interesting foundation for a forward-looking discussion on creating a less anxiety-inducing framework for parent-teacher conferences, allowing space for students' voices and promoting a democratic practice. In light of these findings, our goal is to collaborate with students, teachers, and parents to improve the content and structure of parent-teacher conferences. The aim is to transform the conferences into supportive and motivating experiences, fostering the development and well-being of all students. To achieve this, we propose implementing action research methods, where researchers closely collaborate with stakeholders to design and test initiatives. The objective is to counteract tendencies toward objectification and the overemphasis of students' responsibility, ultimately increasing opportunities for students' active democratic participation and rights to freely express their views on matters affecting their lives.

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