Many of the teachers at our schools do these - I hate them. I think that they should be optional. Teachers and parents are busy and it is so hard to find a good time to chat - I have waited for conferences only to leave with no opportunity to actually talk to the teacher. Most of what I would talk to the teacher about in private I will not say in front of my child (whether it be that they are very good at something or whether it is something I think that they need to work on).

Honestly, they seem very easy for the teachers to do (when the student is expected to "run the show"), but are very hard on students who are shy or sensitive. Since I talk to my children quite a bit, I do not need to see a "show" about what they are doing at school.