middle school individual learning plan program 2010 asca conference boston, massachusetts karen...
TRANSCRIPT
Middle School Individual Learning
Plan Program
2010 ASCA ConferenceBoston, Massachusetts
Karen Bradbury
Christine Miller
Expected Resultsfor This Presentation
Increased awareness of one middle school’s approach to using the counseling program as the infrastructure for personalization
Deeper understanding of the Individual Learning Plan (ILP) process and how it benefits students
Personalization and the ILP are State
Requirements The Rhode Island Board of
Regents and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education believe that learning how to plan is critical to students’ future success
They have mandated that all Rhode Island students in grades 6-12 have an Individual Learning Plan (ILP)
What is Personalization? Personalization is a learning process
in which schools help students assess their own talents and aspirations, plan a pathway toward their own purposes, work cooperatively with others on challenging tasks, maintain a record of their explorations and demonstrate learning against clear standards in a wide variety of media, all with the close support of adult mentors and guides. (Clarke, 2003)
What is an ILP?
The ILP is a structured process that enables students to plan for their future in three developmental domains: academic, career and personal/social
The ILP is results-based with specific learner outcomes. It functions as a primary vehicle for personalizing student learning
The ILP allows teachers and counselors to observe and guide student progress along the learning continuum
New Trend inIndividual Learning
Plans Arizona District of Columbia Delaware Florida Iowa Indiana Kentucky Louisiana Michigan Mississippi New Mexico Oregon Rhode Island South Carolina Hawaii
Idaho Missouri Nevada Tennessee Utah West Virginia Kansas* Massachusetts* Nebraska* Ohio* Washington* Georgia* Minnesota* New Hampshire* South Dakota* Vermont*
What is theSchool Counselor’s
Role? School counselors stand at the
juncture in students’ lives where the world of school, world of home and world of work intersect
This an opportunity to scaffold the success of every student
School counselors can help students become proficient planners for their future success
What is a School Counseling Curriculum?
A documented curriculum organized as a scope and sequence
Developmentally appropriate activities that focus on:
Knowledge acquisition Skill development Embracing attitudes/behaviors that
lead to success Aligned with ASCA student standards
An Important Distinction Excellence in the School
Counseling Program is the responsibility of school counselors
Excellence in the ILP Program is the responsibility of the whole school community with major roles being played by school counselors, teachers and school leaders (e.g., principals and school improvement team members)
Student Planningis Important
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Planning is a lifelong skill required for personal growth and future success
It is our responsibility to contribute to students’ success by helping them focus on their own futures, establish and pursue goals, reflect on their progress and demonstrate that they are proficient planners
Individual Student Planning: A Programmatic Approach
The ILP provides a structured process to help students plan for their future through:
Acquisition of relevant knowledge Development of appropriate skills Adoption of behaviors/attitudes
These are the same outcomes as those of a comprehensive School Counseling Curriculum
Relation of ILP Program to
the Counseling Curriculum The ILP Program can serve as the
primary organizing principle for the counseling curriculum: It organizes what we deliver to
students in terms of teaching them how to learn,
How to plan for their future, and
How to cope with the many challenges of growing up and preparing for life after high school.
My Life…My Life…My FutureMy Future
How anIndividual Learning Plan (ILP)
can help you succeed
Calcutt Middle SchoolCentral Falls Public SchoolsCentral Falls, Rhode Island
What is an ILP?What is an ILP?
An Individual Learning Plan (ILP) is a process for setting goals, planning to achieve them and evaluating how well we are doing
An ILP helps us decide what to do after high school, identify what is required to be successful in our chosen pathway(s), and to prepare for meeting those requirements
Why is an ILP ImportantWhy is an ILP Importantto Your Future Successto Your Future Success
An ILP will help you decide what you want to do in life
An ILP will help you know what is required and to begin preparing for your future
An ILP keeps you focused and on track so you don’t lose your way
Employers look for people who know how to plan and will hire them before those who are not good planners
The ILP is RequiredThe ILP is Required
The Rhode Island Board of Regents and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education believe that learning how to plan is critical to your future success
They have mandated that all Rhode Island students in grades 5-12 have an Individual Learning Plan (ILP)
The ILP ProcessThe ILP ProcessAt the beginning of the school year:
Learn (or refresh your memory) about the ILP process—how it can help you and what is expected of you
Review your transcript or report card, update your Academic Plan and be aware of the high school graduation requirements
Set goals in four areas (academic, career, personal and social)
The ILP ProcessThe ILP ProcessDuring the school year: Meet with your advisor and/or school
counselor to conduct a quarterly review of your progress and document your reflections
Decide what action steps to take to resolve concerns and problems
Work on producing artifacts that demonstrate what you know and can do as a result of participating in the ILP process
Use multiple opportunities to meet with your advisors and counselors to discuss your future
The ILP ProcessThe ILP ProcessAt the end of the school year: Write a self-reflection about your
school year, your accomplishments and challenges and what you hope for the next school year
Demonstrate that you are becoming proficient planners by producing artifacts for your ILP portfolio
What We Expect from YouWhat We Expect from You Review your academic plan with your counselor.
You will be asked to sign the plan and to get your parent/guardian to sign your plan
Set and document your goals at the beginning of the year
Reflect on your progress and discuss it with your advisor and/or counselor throughout the year
Produce evidence that you are becoming proficient planners, including
– Completed and signed academic plan– Written reflection– Results of exploring and preparing to meet
requirements for further education and/or work after high school
What You Can ExpectWhat You Can Expectfrom Usfrom Us
Your advisor and counselor are committed to helping you become proficient planners
We will guide you through the ILP process, step-by-step
We will help to make your learning experiences more personal and meaningful
Contact InformationContact Information
If you have questions at any time, please contact your advisor and/or school counselor
Student Outcomes
In order for ILP Programs to be successful, they must deliver to students:
Opportunities to learn relevant content
Time to practice applying what they are learning to real-world contexts
Opportunities to demonstrate progress/proficiency
Knowledge We WantStudents to Acquire
Essential information students will learn through the ILP:
Importance of planning for their future Steps in a complete planning process Standards and requirements which affect their future Roles and accountabilities
Skills We Want Students to
DevelopTasks and skills that are essential for proficient planning:
Envision the futureIdentify developmental needsDevelop an action planImplement the plan and monitor
progressEvaluate progress and document
conclusionsDevelop new planProvide evidence of progress
toward results
Behaviors We WantStudents to Adopt
One’s behavior and attitude are critical to success in school, work and life
The ILP highlights behaviors/ attitudes required for success by business and educational communities
ILPs Enable Students to:
Have meaningful interactions with adults who help them plan
Learn the planning process (set goals, develop action plans, monitor progress, reflect on one’s experience, use results to update plans)
Become skilled in identifying barriers to their learning and developing strategies to overcome them
Always know how they are progressing toward graduation and being prepared for post-secondary opportunities
ILP: A Personal Challenge to Take
Ownership for One’s Learning
The ILP provides students with a meaningful and ongoing process focused on their future success
It is a personal challenge to students to assume ownership for their learning and learn s elf-direction as a life-long skill
ILP Core Curriculum
Every school year lessons are delivered that focus on:
Understanding the Planning Process
Academic Planning
Personal Planning
Periodic Reviews of Progress
Year-end Written Reflection
Supporting ILP Curriculum
A Comprehensive School Counseling Curriculum includes activities that support the ILP program.
Examples include lessons on: Learning: learning styles, study
habits, test-taking strategies Coping: self-esteem, respecting
self and others, managing anger
College & Work Readiness
Students are ready for college and work when they finish high school having: Acquired relevant knowledge Developed skills appropriate to
their post-secondary pathways Adopted behaviors/attitudes
that lead to success Demonstrated proficiency in
applying what they have learned Become proficient planners
Accountability and Data
Data provides compelling evidence of the impact of implementing the school counseling and ILP programs on student success and school reform
It enables us to demonstrate our accountability
Data is our friend
Calcutt Middle SchoolDemographics
75% Eligible for Free/Reduced Rate Lunch
70% Hispanic
15% African American
15% White
22% English Language Learners
26% Mobility Rate
Data Gathered
Process Data
– Logs
Perception Data
– Surveys
Results Data
– Student Work
Student Information System Data
– e.g., Attendance
Preliminary Data Results
Research has shown that students who are engaged in learning and understand the process have increased cognitive ability (Dimmitt, 2007)
At Calcutt:
Student and parent engagement Improved attendance Reduced suspensions Decreased drop-out rate
Student Survey Question
Student Survey Question
Lessons Learned
First time is most difficult
Second time both students and teachers take it more seriously
Begin with basic vocabulary development—don’t take for granted the understanding of goal, for example
Develop relationship with Teacher-Advisors
Next Steps
Refine the ILP especially for ELL and Special Education Populations
Customize forms for middle school
Contact Information
Karen Bradbury
Christine Miller
RI School Counselor Association
www.rischoolcounselor.org