Last Thursday we began filling out Part 1 of these templates - especially focusing on summarizing the student surveys. Since then you've probably also collected a number of family surveys that should also be entered. And you've put in ELA scores, exhibition scores, and other items as possible (not the G-M which will be added by Jim).
If you didn't yet finish Part 1 you should use most of the time today (Thursday the 2nd) to do that. But take at least 1 student for whom you've figured out Part 1 and create a tentative Action Plan for him or her so that you can experience that process too.
For the Action Plan we are aiming to create interventions that fulfill the following criteria;
- Doable - they are within the realm of possibility for the student, for you as the advisor, and for the school.
- Specific - Very clear proposal that will be understood by student and family.
- Powerful - Action plan proposals should create spillover effects for the student. For instance "do your math homework" isn't an action plan - "Go to SGI for math" might be if it addresses current course difficulties, low diagnostic scores, and academic confidence. Think of the interventions that a student would benefit from at a top-notch private school.
- Target dated - The target date motivates urgency and scheduling.
- Evaluable - You should be able to evaluate both whether the student completed the intervention and whether it made a difference.
Reading Remediation
- Reading Program - In consultation with your English teacher and your advisor make a list of books that you will read and review for an online site like "Goodreads.com" and target dates for completing each book. This effort should help you improve your reading skills and enjoyment. I will check on your efforts regularly and hope to see measurable progress by the end of the semester.
- Reading Testing - Your diagnostic scores for reading are unusually low for someone as smart as you are. By October 24th I will make arrangements with reading specialists at the school to see if you and they can figure out what issues are delaying your success and what we can do to improve the situation.
- By October 24 please consult your English or Humanities teacher to see if you can be added to an SGI meeting during lunch or after school one day per week for reading skills work.
- Your reading scores are very high - which is an important academic strength and may be a meaningful aspect of your life. In consultation with your English teacher and myself please construct a list of books you are interested in, that will help you expand your already impressive reading skills. Please plan on writing short reviews for an online site like "Goodreads.com" and make a target date for each new book. I will check on your efforts regularly and hope to be able to help you celebrate your progress by the end of the semester.
- Given what you have listed as your interests in the student survey and your reading scores I want to suggest that you pick 3 of the following books and read them. I've read them all and will discuss them with you when you've finished each one. Aim to have all three read before winter break.
- Your writing needs improvement to help you do better in your classes and to prepare for a more successful academic future. By October 24 please work with your English teacher to provide me with a plan for improving your writing. I'll check your efforts periodically and hope to be able to celebrate progress with you by the end of the semester.
- By October 24 please consult your English or Humanities teacher to see if you can be added to an SGI meeting during lunch or after school one day per week for writing skills work.
Writing Enrichment
- Your writing is powerful. This is a skill that could help you tremendously in school and beyond. Don't waste your talent! Please consult me and your English teacher by October 24 and create a plan to further develop your abilities through the semester. Consider possible publications, different genres, and what you're really interested in. There should be specific projects, identified readers, and target dates to have them done.
Math (& Science) Remediation
- Your math skills and confidence seem relatively low compared to your other interests. By October 24 please make arrangements with your math teacher to create a plan to bring up your confidence and skills with specific assignments and target dates. I will check on your efforts regularly and hope that we will be able to celebrate your progress at the end of the semester.
- Please make arrangements, by October 24, to join your math teacher's weekly SGI to improve your abilities and confidence.
- Please meet with your math teacher to arrange peer-tutoring by October 24. Let me know who you will be working with, how often, and what goals you intend to reach by the end of the semester.
- You would really benefit from professional tutoring in math. Please consult your math teacher for the name of a good and relatively inexpensive tutor that can help you catch up on your math skills.
Math (& Science) Enrichment
- You have exceptional skills in math. Please consult with your math teacher and I about how to further develop these abilities. Consider internships, competitions, and other possibilities to strengthen these muscles. Let me know by October 24 what you have planned and what you intend to accomplish by the end of the semester.
- You are good at math and enjoy it and a clear communicator. Please consult with your math teacher by October 21 about serving as a Peer Tutor for the semester.
Work Habits
- Your lack of effective work habits seem to come up more than once. Please consult with me by October 24 on making a plan for rock-solid homework routines that will help you to achieve greater (and less stressful) academic success.
- Please plan to attend "Homework Help" every day after-school. I will be checking your efforts regularly and hope that by the end of the semester we will have seen a turn-around in your academic success.
Interests
- You and/or your family have expressed strong interest in X. Please make a plan to become highly expert in X - consider if you can feature the topic in an exhibition, center an internship around it, focus a reading program on it, and write for publication on the topic. Share with me what you are planning by October 24 - I will check on your efforts regularly and hope to be able to celebrate successes with you by the end of the semester.
- Despite reading all the documents - your survey, your family's survey, your diagnostic scores - I'm still not sure what you're really interested in and what you want to pursue. Please write me a letter by October 24 with a clear description of what you really care about, would like to become expert in, or want to use your classes to focus on.
Other
- Your sense that school has no relevance for you - and your statement on the survey that you don't want to go to college - were strong. Please consult with Felix or Shantae by October 21 on a lengthy visit to at least one local college. And please consult with Emily to try to arrange an internship in an area that you might want to make a career in. Is it possible that a vocational or apprenticeship program might help you to make a good career? Consider these options carefully and write back to me by October 24 with a plan for figuring out your possibilities and desires.
