STAR Setting Targets to Achieve Results

Name …………………………………… Class …………………………………… Mentor ……………………………………

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Introduction

Congratulations on your commitment to being part of the S4 Mentoring Programme. You have been invited to join the programme as you have been identified as a pupil that has great potential and will benefit from the support of a Staff Mentor. The aim of the programme is to help you focus your attention on achieving your full academic potential. All pupils involved in the S4 Mentoring Programme will be given a Pupil Profile Booklet like this one. This booklet includes relevant topics such as Study Skills, Target Setting, Time Management, and other important information such as a Supported Study timetable.

The booklet also consists of tables to note performances in class tests and homework, and keep a log of Personal Study. This will hopefully enable your Mentor to monitor and track your progress and ensure you are doing what is required to fulfil your potential. In order to assist you, you will have regular monthly meetings with your Mentor who will provide support, discuss progress, identify targets and help create study plans. For this programme to be successful, it is important that we have your continued support and commitment to the programme. After each Mentor meeting that takes place, you will be asked to complete a task that will help you prepare for success in your exams. I know that if we work as a team, together we can help you achieve the best results possible and as a school look forward to improving attainment. Yours sincerely Mentoring Team @ CHS

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Contents

Mentor Meeting 1 - Self Evaluation Page 7 Pupil Task 1 - Self Evaluation Page 8 Mentor Meeting 2 - Target Setting Page 9 Pupil Task 2 - Target Setting Page 10 Mentor Meeting 3 - Time Management Page 12 Pupil Task 3 - Time Management Page 14 Mentor Meeting 4 - Pupil Tracking using S4 Reports Page 16 Pupil Task 4 - Pupil Tracking Page 16 Mentor Meeting 5 - Study Skills Page 17 Pupil Task 5 - Study Skills Page 19 Mentor Meeting 6 - Stress Management Page 22 Pupil Task 6 - Stress Management Page 23

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Mentoring Meeting 1 - Self Evaluation

Before your Mentor can set you targets, you are required to self evaluate and identify your current performance levels by reflecting on your broad general education in S1 - 3. 1. With help from your mentor, fill in the table below by adding your final grade and what

grades you think your effort levels deserved (1-6)? (1 = lots of effort, 6 = no effort at all)

2. Write down a subject you feel that you performed well in. …………………………………….. 3. It is important to identify the reasons for your successes. I want you to think about what

is it you do in this subject above that makes you successful in it. Write down three reasons/things you do in this subject that you maybe don’t do in others.

(i) ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. (ii) …………………………………………………………………………………………………. (iii) ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4. Look closely at the table, especially at the Deserved Grade and Target Grade columns.

I want you to identify target subjects you feel you are capable of improving in the most with more applied effort. Be realistic and honest and target a minimum of 3 subjects.

Target Subject 1 …………………………………. Target Subject 2 …………………………………. Target Subject 3 ………………………………….

Subject Teacher S3 Tracking Deserved Grade (Effort)

Tracking Target (Your teacher will give you one)

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Pupil Task 1 - Self Evaluation

To be able to fulfil your potential and achieve the best grades you are capable of, you must be committed to giving it your best shot. After receiving exam results. It is important to be able to say, ‘I’m happy with them, I did everything possible and I got what I deserved’. To self evaluate your effort levels this session, fill out the table below. At the end of each month, give yourself a grade for effort in each of your 3 subjects. The grade should be between 1-6 and reflect what you think your effort levels deserve ( 1 = best , 6 = no effort).

Monitor you effort levels and maintain your focus on achieving your set goals. If you realise a gap is emerging between your Target Grade and Deserved Grade in any subject, place more emphasis on homework and personal revision in that subject over the next week to catch up on work.

Subject Month Number Deserved Grade Deserved Grade Deserved Grade 1

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Mentor Meeting 2 - Target Setting

When setting any goals or targets, it is crucially important to make sure that your targets are SMART. S = Specific M = Measurable A = Achieve R = Relevant T = Timescale What does this mean? SPECIFIC Break your goals down into manageable chunks. For example, a generalised goal in P.E. would be to improve your Practical Performance grade. Practical Performance is made up of five activities and you simply do not have the time to work on all of them. A specific goal in P.E. would be to improve your Trampolining Practical Grade from a 3 to a 1. MEASURABLE Set goals should allow you to test whether you have achieved them or not. If you set yourself the goal of ‘Understanding Weather Maps’, then this is easy to test in the form of past papers and questions on weather charts. If you achieve a high percentage in the test, you know you have achieved your goal and can go about achieving the next goal. ACHIEVABLE Goals should be used to motivate you to want to improve. Achievable goals should be ones that you are able to complete or accomplish. Achieving your goal gives you a great deal of satisfaction and provides you with a ‘feel good’ factor, which boosts your self esteem and give you self confidence. RELEVANT Goals should be relevant to what you are trying to achieve. Before agreeing a goal, be sure that it will bring you closer to your overall target. If it does not then you are wasting your time. TIMESCALES Goals should have a time limit and you should do everything possible to achieve your goal within the time allowed. Time limits should be realistic and it does require planning on your part. By sticking to deadlines it helps you accomplish what needs done and avoids getting behind in work and too stressed to function effectively.

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Pupil Task 2 - Target Setting

Following the principles of S.M.A.R.T. for goal setting, I want you to set yourself three goals for each of your target subjects. Make sure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Relevant and have a Timescale. To assist you in this task, for each target subject, one goal must be agree on by (i) You and your subject teacher (ii) You and your mentor (iii) You and your parent/guardian Examples of Goals Pupil/Subject Teacher - You will move seat in class as you are having trouble concentrating sitting beside one of your friends. Pupil/Mentor - You will attend supported study every week for this target subject. Mentor will monitor attendance by checking the supported study record. Pupil/Parents - You will complete 30 minutes of personal study in target subject every night. These goals will help you keep focussed on the task ahead and once achieved should be replaced by more ambitious but achievable goals. Continue to keep setting yourself targets leading up to the exams. If you are unsure on what areas need improvement or what your goals should be, ask for assistance from your subject teacher, mentor, or parent/guardian.

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Mentor Meeting 3 - Time Management

Better time management skills improve your academic performance and keep your stress levels under control. Prioritise, Planning and Persistence are the three P’s of effective time management skills. Prioritise - Learn to say ‘NO’ to your friends so that you can keep to your schedule. A short term shift in your lifestyle might be needed to help you accomplish your goals. Planning - Find a balance between study and free time. Put time aside for both by making and revising a study timetable that works for you. Get studying over and done with first so you can really switch off and enjoy your free time. Persistence - Having persistence is the ability to beat laziness and sticking to your study timetable. Avoidance of doing a task which needs to be accomplished can create stress. Planning to Study: Deciding what is to be done? Making the most of the time available is a skill and like so many other skills it can be learned. Ask yourself…… ‘What is important?’ and ‘What is urgent?’ You will have commitments in your life that require time dedicated to them. Some commitments are incredibly important to you and occur at a fixed time in the week and cannot be rescheduled. You will also have commitments that are not important to you but still need time dedicated to them. Quite often these type of commitments can be rearranged to a more suitable time which allows you to get on with the more important and urgent tasks. When you complete the task on the next page, you should consider the following: • Spend time on the ‘Important/Cannot be Reschedules’ tasks first e.g., a project

deadline. • Spend time on the ‘Important/Can be Rescheduled’ tasks but at a time that is

suitable e.g., time with friends, sports, hobbies. • Cut down on the ‘Not Important’ tasks.

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List all the hobbies, sports, activities and pastimes you don in a typical week that involves you dedicating your time to them, e.g. work, training, visiting, relations, babysitting. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Now prioritise all of these into the table below according to their importance. If they have a deadline, or if they can be rescheduled.

Important / Cannot be rescheduled Important / Can be rescheduled

Not Important / Cannot be rescheduled Not Important / Can be rescheduled

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Pupil Task 3 - Time Management

Now that you have identified what is important in your life and what is simply a waste of time, you can now sit down and make up a Personal Study Programme. By continuously delaying or putting off personal study. It makes it very difficult to enjoy your free time as it is constantly on the back of your mind and you may feel under pressure or guilty for not meeting your study targets. Basic Study Guidelines Everyone develops their own way of studying. However, here are some basic guidelines which apply to us all. • You should continuously revise and review your work. Don’t leave studying too late.

• Identify those things which have to be done and decide which have to be done first.

• Have a daily and weekly plan for study and other commitments.

• Be realistic in your time allocations for each activity and allow social activities.

• Divide your study into sessions of about 45 - 50 minutes, allowing for short breaks of about 5 - 10 minutes in between.

• Start with difficult areas of those you like least, saving the best to last.

• Go over your work within a day of learning it. Rework your notes, highlight areas of importance, identify areas you are unsure of and ask for help in these areas.

Planning Task 1 (See overleaf) Complete a personal study programme for term time and when necessary exam leave. By having a disciplined approach in following your Study Programme, it will encourage you to set time aside for study as well as the activities that are important to you. It is very important that you are realistic with your Study Programme. Task 2 (See overleaf) Look closely at the Supported Study schedule and highlight which sessions you will attend. Remember, your target subjects should take priority in the event of subjects clashing.

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Mentor Meeting 4 - Pupil Tracking

Using the S4 Pupil Report identify your current performance levels across all subject areas. Discussion with Mentor.

Agreed action points - Mentor/Pupil ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒

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Mentor Meeting 5 - Study Skills

Prepare to Study: A Good Study Place

You need a good place to study to prepare yourself effectively. Answer the questions below honestly. For an effective study environment, you should be able to answer YES to all the questions. 1. Is my study place available to me whenever I need it?....................................Yes/No Your study place is no good if you can’t use it when you need to. 2. Is my study place free from interruptions and distractions?..........................Yes/No You may need to turn your mobile phone off. Research shows that most students study

best in a quiet environment so if you must have the TV or music on, keep the volume low. Decide if you find it helpful to study in a group, or is it just time spent chatting and you focus more when working alone?

3. Do I still have all the study materials I need close at hand? …………………..Yes/No Be sure your study place has all the stuff you need such as pens, pencils, highlighters,

rulers, calculator and whatever school books or resources you need. Once seated, do not look for an excuse to leave your study environment.

4. Do you have a large enough table and a comfortable chair in your study space? ……………………Yes/No Trying to study while lounging around initially may seem comfortable, but it will quickly

place strain on your neck and back. 5. Do you have enough light in your study place to see clearly? ……………….Yes/No Do not place strain on your eyes by studying in a dimly lit room as this can make you

sleepy. 6. Is your study place the right temperature?.......................................................Yes/No Not too warm to make you sleepy or not too cold to stop you from concentrating.

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Identifying Your Learning Style

Multi-Sensory Learning - You use all five of your senses but you tend to have a preference for learning using one of the three described below.

VISUAL: About 29% of us prefer to learn by seeing demonstrations and using visual aids.

AUDITORY: About 34% of us prefer to learn by listening to sounds and people speaking.

KINAESTHETIC: About 37% of us prefer to learn by doing/experiencing it physically. Making things More Memorable Short and Sharp

When revising, you remember the most at the start and at the end of each session. Do not spend hours at a time staring at your work. Take regular breaks. The more beginnings and ends you have, the more you will remember. Laugh

We all like things that are funny. Use humour to help you remember. For example, a mnemonic to remember the 7 continents of the World, EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA, ANTARTICA, AUSTRALIA, NORTH AMERICA and SOUTH AMERICA, could be

‘Elves Are Aggressive After A Nasty Surprise’ Words and Pictures

Some people use words and others prefer to use their imagination to help them picture what it is they are trying to remember. Think Differently

Whether you are using rhymes, mnemonics, chunking, post it notes or wacky stories, things that are out of place tend to stick in your head. Test Yourself by Teaching Someone Else

A good way to increase the chances of you remembering something is to take some time to teach it to someone else. Colour

Add colour and pictures to your notes to bring them alive and give your brain something to get excited about.

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Pupil Task 5 - Study Skills

What is Your Mindset People have one of two mindsets, a ‘fixed mindset’ or a ‘growth mindset’. You are not born with a specific mindset, it is something you develop growing up. This means you can change your mindset by how you behave and respond to feedback. Fixed People with a fixed mindset believe that they were born naturally talented at some things and naturally untalented at other things. They think success will either happen or not and they have no control over it. Growth People with a growth mindset believe that lots of hard work and effort will lead to improvement and success. They realise that success will not be handed to them on a plate and that have to do something about it if they want to achieve it.

It is hard, but sometimes you have to give things a go even if you would rather just pack it in and go home. You may not be good at something now but if you give up, two things are for sure;

1.You will never find out what you could have done. 2. You certainly will not get any better at it.

Think about what mindset you have in these situations

Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset

After getting the results of a test in school, your initial thoughts are……….

…...did I do better or worse than everyone else in the class?

…...what did I get wrong and how can I improve?

When your teacher tells you to stop chatting in class……….

…...you tut, go off in the huff and moan about how your teacher has got it in for you.

…...you realise that at the end of the day, they are right, you should be working and you cannot complain.

When you become good at something……….

…...you concentrate on this alone and neglect trying to improve in other areas of the subject.

…...you consider how you can use the same determination to improve and achieve in other areas of your life.

If you get poor prelim results……….

…...you give up. …...you keep going realising that this is the jolt you needed to put in more work and effort.

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Pupil Task 5 - Study Skills cont’d

How to Develop a Growth Mindset Know the ‘Gaps’ in Your Learning • These ‘gaps’ are the information you struggle to understand. For example, if you get

70% in an exam, the ‘gaps’ in your learning is the 30% that you got wrong. • Your focus must be placed on the 30% incorrect answers in an attempt to understand

what you have done wrong. Once ‘gaps’ have been identified seek guidance on how you can improve in these areas.

• Know what you are being assessed on by asking the teacher to share with you what the

questions are likely to be in your exams. Identify what the SUCCESS CRITERIA are and what your teacher is looking for from a correct answer.

Task (See Overleaf) For each of these subjects, identify a topic that was highlighted as one of your weaknesses in a recent test or piece of homework. Revisit homework, previous tests and prelims to identify problematic topics and list those in which you need to revise most. Ask your teacher to look at this list to confirm the topics. Set a timescale to revisit this topic and on the deadline complete a test to measure your improvement. If you have shown an improvement in the topic, identify another area for development and follow the same procedure. Replicate for all target subjects.

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Mentor Meeting 6 - Stress Management

Stress is a condition experienced when a person feels that the demands placed upon them are greater than what they can achieve. Stress can reduce your ability to cope and you no longer function effectively. However, stress does not always have a negative effect. It depends on your time management and the way you handle it. Priorities, Planning and Persistence. Affects of being Overstressed • Damages the immune system meaning you catch more colds • Sleeping patterns will be disrupted • You will lose your appetite and stop eating properly • Fear for the future • Become too self critical • Doubt your abilities and expect failure • Mental performance is reduced Negative thinking damages confidence, harms performance and paralyzes mental skills, challenges your negative thoughts. Be Positive. Relaxation Techniques

Controlled Breathing - Inhale and hold for a total of 6 seconds, exhale continuously for 6 seconds. Repeat for 1 minute to get rid of any stale air held in the lungs. Meditation - Close your eyes firmly for 3 seconds before releasing for 3 seconds. Repeat twice and try to clear your head of all thoughts. Sit with eyes closed for 2 minutes. Progressive Muscle Relaxation - Tense various groups of muscles one at a time (e.g. quadriceps), starting with a gentle contraction, and build up to a full contraction for a total of 6 seconds before releasing. Mental Imagery - Close your eyes and imagine the exam scene. Start your mental rehearsal from the moment you wake up on the morning of your first exam. Picture how everything should be and imagine how you would like it to be.

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Pupil Task 6 - Stress Management

Try out all of the techniques explained above and discover if any work for you. If one or more techniques work, then use them every time you feel things are getting too much for you. Remember the best way to avoid stress is by staying on top of the tasks. Do not let tasks build up as no matter how hard you try to forget about them, they will always be on the back of your mind.

Healthy Body = Healthy Mind When you are stressed, hormones are secreted which can cause high blood pressure. Use up your stress hormones with physical activity. Regular exercise also strengthens your heart and increases the blood supply to your brain. To function most effectively, include some physical exercise in your daily routine. List examples of things you do each week that are considered physical ability e.g. Walking the Dog. ………………………….. ………………………….. …………………………… ………………………….. ………………………….. …………………………… ………………………….. ………………………….. …………………………… ………………………….. ………………………….. …………………………… ………………………….. ………………………….. …………………………… Task Look back at your Personal Study Programme and make sure you have made some time available for exercise to enable you to cope with stress. It is important to dedicate time to exercise, therefore add some of the physical activities listed above in your study programme. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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Clydebank high School Janetta Street

Clydebank G81 3EJ

Phone: 0141 533 3000 Fax: 0141 533 3039

E-mail: schooloffice@clydebank.w-dunbarton.sch.uk

We’re on the web clydebankhigh.org.uk