SASSO Success Team – How Do We Plan For Academic Success – Ohio State Buckeyes
7/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | General
STUDENT-ATHLETE SUPPORT SERVICES OFFICE
HOW DO WE PLAN FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS
The following defines and explains the 5 step process that may exist as the Learning Specialists prepare an academic plan for a Success Team member.
Action Step 1. – Summer Quarter
Individualized programs are prepared for identified student-athletes participating in the summer quarter. Each student-athlete receives:
An individualized tutoring schedule
Their academic football, basketball, softball, hockey puck
– House Rules (how to act in the classroom, and in the Younkin)
– Blanket e-mails for asking an instructor for extra help, missed work, and setting up an appointment to meet with them
– An assignment calendar that is done month-by-month so that the coursework is not overwhelming, yet everyone knows what and when things are due
– Dividers for each specific class, organized so that student-athletes can see the syllabi, and keep notes and assignments separated per course
– A variety of note taking and paper organizing strategies that can be replicated either with additional copies or on individual papers
– A 3-subject notebook
– A folder
The summer quarter provides the Success Team staff a face-to-face understanding of the needs of each student-athlete. Each participating student-athlete receives one-on-one tutoring based on the course that the yare enrolled in. If time permits, each student may also receive preparatory work in English and math.
Action Step 2. – Math Enrichment Program
The summer math enrichment program consists of eight, one-hour long sessions. Based on the placement scores of each student-athlete, the Success Team staff divides the student-athletes into small groups.
Each group spends the sessions going over the prepared materials, created to familiarize the student-athlete with math concepts. Math packets are created based on the previous year’s math syllabi with problems and topics that are covered are those that are typically found on the first midterm.
First Session
During the first session, all student-athletes are given a preliminary assessment which consists of the first midterm for their course. Then on the last day of the program each student-athlete will re-take the same exam in order for the Success Team staff to see his or her progress, and create a math plan to address topics that individuals who may struggle with.
For the most part, each of these groups only consists of 2 student-athletes and a Success Team staff member. However, for some upper level math courses the group size will be dependant upon the number of students enrolled in the course.
At the end of every session, the Success Team staff assesses the session and the interaction between the student-athletes and other student-athletes, as well as the staff. On the day of the last session, the Success Team assessment includes a math plan for the upcoming quarter.
Action Step 3. – Individualized Sessions
Individualized sessions are one-on-one with the student-athlete, preferably in one of our private tutoring rooms. In each of these sessions work is completed based on the syllabus and other required materials. Coursework is often broken down to facilitate the best learning experience for each student-athletes learning style. This often times consists of but is not limited to:
Repetition – note/flashcard review
Utilizing pre-made sample tests and review materials
Organizing notes and other class inserts
Role playing
Reading aloud
Relating course information in terms that show the tutor that the student understands the materials.
These sessions also cover certain life skills as many of our Success Team members have a lot going on outside of athletics and academics. Some of these life skills covered are:
Study skills
Time management
Organizational skills
E-mail/phone etiquette
Balancing a check book
Scheduling an appointment
Finding an apartment
Dealing with University and city of Columbus parking tickets
Proper ways to talk to an instructor
Action Step 4. – Course Breakdown Binders
The Success Team creates review materials, in various subjects that help Success Team members prepare for quizzes and exams. This is accomplished by working closely with the student-athlete in order to figure out which information, found in their class notes, is considered to be important to the instructor/class. Once they can show us the important information we create “mini tests” that are typically multiple questions in a variety of formats.
Like on the field/court/ice many of our student-athletes learn best from repetition, one of the ways that we try to establish learning difficult material is to take these “mini tests” over and over again until they can do so with minimal mistakes.
This has proven to be a successful tool with many of the Success Team students.
Action Step 5. – Weekly Success Team Staff Meetings
The Success Team staff meets weekly to discuss the courses, progress, testing and learning styles of the individuals in this program. In addition to these meetings we have ad hoc meetings whenever we deem necessary. These meetings are crucial to the success of our student-athletes as it allows for us to be able to provide real time feedback to everyone that is dealing with this population.
These meetings and the sharing of information has proven to be very beneficial in dealing with this population as they allow for us to all be on the same page with each of these student-athletes.
Click here to learn more about Success Team resources.
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