[Counselors] counselor question

Thu Jan 22 11:32:00 CST 2015

I am at a small school and serve PK-12, so this plan doesn't always work
with my schedule. I have a contract that I set up on our student
information system so it pulls all of the information for me. (I have
attached my contract) I call the students in once a week that are failing
and talk to them before showing them the contract. I ask them about their
grades to see if they are aware of their failing status. I ask them what
they think their grade is and then I ask them what they think they are
capable of. I show them the contract and their actual grade after they
answer those 2 questions. We discuss why they feel they are failing and I
make sure to put it back on the student. Lots of times the students have
someone to blame! I make them come up with 2 additional things they can do
for themselves that will help bring their grade up. Our teachers are
required to make parental contact every week for the students that are
failing. This way the teacher can tell the parent what is going on and make
sure they are aware. The teachers also have to allow the students to come
in for Academic Achievement either before school, at lunch, or after
school. The teacher decides on all of the details. Academic Achievement is
the first step on the student's contract and then they come up with 2
others. I have the student sign the contract and they watch me sign it. I
then make a copy and send one home for the parents to sign. I normally
don't get the parent signed copy back, but the parent should have been
notified by the teacher anyway so I'm not usually concerned about seeing
the parent's signature. There are some students that I see on a weekly
basis but for the most part, this works. I like being able to make the
student feel responsible for the grade and let them know that we (as a
school) know they can do better.

Our teachers have implemented planners for all of the middle school
students. The teacher briefly checks the planner at the end of each hour
and require a parent signature on a grade report each week. They give a
grade for the planner being complete and having the signature.

*Heather Holland*

Springer Public Schools

School Counselor/Psychometrist

On Thu, Jan 22, 2015 at 9:07 AM, OSRHE EPAS PK-12 Counselor Discussion
Board <counselors at lists.onenet.net> wrote:

> I also do this at our middle school with the goal of seeing failing
> students about every two weeks (sometimes impossible, but that's my goal).
> We develop an action plan where we write goals and steps for reaching those
> goals (organization, planners, no more zeros, attendance, tutoring, etc).
> When I see them again we check their progress with the steps and how far
> they've come to reaching their goal (which is usually passing the class).
> We tweak the action plan as necessary.  I also involve the parents with
> things they can do at home to help such as checking planners or coming up
> with a reward/consequence system (because bad grades and detentions don't
> seem to work with most of these students). However, I have to say that many
> of these students do not have involved parents to help which is part of the
> problem. I find that holding them accountable for their goals and
> objectives is mostly a positive experience. They seem to like coming in to
> talk to someone who really cares about them and is keeping an eye one
> them. I try to have them come back regularly even after they've reached
> their goal just to keep up the rapport, and let them know I'm so proud, but
> this has been difficult because I am so busy trying to see the kids who are
> still struggling.  Anyway, that's my plan even though it doesn't always
> work with every student.
>
> ------------------------------
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "OSRHE EPAS PK-12 Counselor Discussion Board" <
> counselors at lists.onenet.net>
> To: counselors at lists.onenet.net
> Date: 01/22/15 08:50 AM
> Subject: [Counselors] counselor question
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> We are a middle school looking for ways to help our students
> academically.  We, 2 school counselors, have been meeting  briefly once a
> month with students who are failing to look at grades, encourage students
> and provide opportunities to improve grades.  However, we are looking for a
> more systematic way, a program that we can utilize, to get students to
> complete assignments and improve overall grades.
>
> All suggestions welcomed!
>
>
>
>
>
> Marjorie McKinney
>
> School Counselor
>
> Wagoner Middle School
>
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