keys to freshman success presented by jamie pollard 9 th and 10 th grade school counselor farmington...
TRANSCRIPT
Keys to Freshman SuccessPresented by
Jamie Pollard
9th and 10th grade School Counselor
Farmington High [email protected]
573-701-1310 #121
Importance of Freshman Year•Failure rate is higher than any other year
•Those who fail their freshman year are more likely to drop out
•HS dropouts earn 1/3 less than graduates
•Alternately, successful freshman years lead to increased success throughout high school, increased graduation rates, and increased earning potentialFrom Bottoms, Gene. Redesigning the Ninth-Grade Experience: Reduce Failure, Improve Achievement and Increase High School Graduation Rates. www.sreb.org
What if my freshman is already failing?
I have missed 9,000 shots during my career. My teams have lost 300 games. And 26 times that my teammates gave me the ball in the final seconds of the game to take the game-winning shot, I missed the shot and we lost the game. I have failed over and over again. The only reason I can succeed is because I understand how to deal with failure.
Michael Jordan
From Teenagers Preparing for the Real World by Chad Foster, p. 11
Keys to Success
Attendance Organization Time Management Relationship with a Caring Adult/Mentor Involvement with an Activity Goal for the Future Discussions about Life Issues Perseverance/Effort
Attendance
One of the challenges this year’s freshmen identified
Difficult to “catch up” when students miss Helps students maintain good habits that
will be important for work later To qualify for A+, students must have a
cumulative 95% attendance average their senior year
Organization
Folders/binders for each class Color coding Time to organize materials Planner Long-term planning
Time Management
This year’s freshmen cited “juggling school, family, relationships, and sports” as a challenge for them
Prioritizing is tough at this age
Relationship with Caring Adult/Mentor This relationship creates an environment
that encourages student success Advisory Farmington Leadership in Practice students Crucial role of family, extended family Community organizations can also play a
role
Involvement with an Activity
Most freshmen wanted to know more about the activities offered here
Place of connection Positive relationships Activity Fair in August Sports, clubs, community groups Clubs related to careers (FFA, FBLA, etc.)
Goal for the Future
Short Term Long Term Intermediate goals Drives academics Answers the “What’s the purpose?”
questions Writing goals in advisory
Discussions about Life Issues
Time of critical life choices Parents and family are the most influential Discuss alcohol, drugs, sexuality and your
views Talk about long term impact of current
choices “There is no such thing as an insignificant
decision.”
Perseverance/Effort
Success is not so much about intelligence as it is hard work and perseverance
All students can achieve academic success despite differences in natural intelligence
