Over a span of 6 days, academic advisors are scheduled to meet with every student at Coan Middle to map out an Individual Student Learning Plan. This initiative allows students to take ownership of their academic success as they examine areas for improvement and set achievable goals based on their own level of performance. Centralizing all focus on the students is a top priority at Coan.
“Individual student learning plans will create a road map to achieve their goals, and will have a huge impact on their success,” says Emily Boatright, Instructional coach for Literacy.
All students are scheduled for a 20-minute conference with an advisor. While parents are encouraged to attend, the student is the main focus for this session. Students grade themselves on their behavior, study habits, homework completions, and confidence. After targeting their areas of weakness, assessing their CRCT scores, and tailoring a reasonable amount for growth, the student and advisor set a specific goal for the rest of the year. Students have an opportunity to assess themselves, determine the reasons for their weaknesses, and learn to develop quality habits to achieve their goals. Students walk away with a plan of action and full support from their teachers and leaders. The conferences will occur 3-4 times during the school year to track their progress and stimulate continuous growth.
Goal setting is new for many students, and it is important for them to understand that they have control over their success. Teachers have stated that they see a noticeable difference in the students’ behavior after the conferences, as the students understand the connection between classroom behavior and their success.
“At Coan, we are trying to prepare our students for leadership and life, and to be successful citizens,” says Dr. Betsy Bockman, Principal at Coan Middle. “If we can help children persist through academic tasks, they will persist through other things in life.”
