Building the Action Plan

• Complete the PASS Worksheets
• Draft an Action Plan
• Meet the student
• Complete the Action Plan

Step 1 – Complete the PASS Worksheets

We have developed two worksheets to organize the student data as it is being gathered:

• Summary of Student Assessment Data
• Analysis of Student Data

These completed worksheets serve as the basis for building the Action Plan for your student.

Using the Summary of Student Assessment Data worksheet, summarize the information from the Student Performance Assessment Graphs (SPAG), all of the Complementary Assessment Tools that you used, and the student’s completed test booklet.

Analyze the data and compile a list of:

• the student’s strengths
• areas needing improvement
• areas to explore with the student

You may have already begun to summarize the data from the SPAG and the test booklet in table form. You can refer back to our examples. Along with the additional data collected using the Complementary Assessment Tools, you can now copy this information onto the Analysis of Student Data worksheet, and use it to decide on the Focus Points for the Action Plan.

We define Focus Points as the main areas on which to build the Action Plan. It is difficult to describe the process of deciding on the Focus Points. We believe it is a combination of factors:

• how you interpret the data available to you
• how well you know the student
• how well you validate your interpretations and intuition with the student
• your level of experience with writing and correcting tests and reviewing them with the student

It is important to note here that not every teacher will describe the Focus Points using the same words. However, regardless of how the Focus Points are worded, it is essential that your strategies be tailored to the student’s unique situation.

You can refer to Mina for an example of the completed Summary of Student Assessment and Analysis of Student Data worksheets. We have included a rationale for each Focus Point, to show you the thinking behind the decisions that we made.

Step 2 – Draft the Action Plan

Transfer the information from the Analysis of Data Worksheet from Step 1 to the Action Plan. This is the working document that you will share with the student. You will see that the initial draft of the Action Plan of Mina begins with the student’s strengths. We believe that this is an essential part of the Action Plan. Imagine the student feeling insecure and vulnerable after having done poorly on the test, and you open the dialogue with a list of their strengths! We believe this sends a powerful message to the student that you believe in their potential for success.

Now you are ready to put together a list of strategies that you will suggest to the student. Remember, you can refer to the Bank of Strategies for Success to develop the plan. This version is only a draft: until you meet with the student and include their input, the plan is incomplete. Again, in our example, we have included a rationale for each strategy, to show you the thinking behind the decisions that we made.

Step 3 – Meet the student

Meet each student individually.

When the student is introduced to PASS, allot 15–20 minutes for explaining how to interpret the information presented in the SPAG. We find it useful to have a printed color copy for the student.

If you are using any of the Complementary Assessment Tools, this is your opportunity to validate questions that arose when you reviewed the student data.

With the student’s input, agree on the Action Plan to help the student prepare for the next written test.

Now it’s time to talk about establishing a relationship with the student. This is a crucial step. The time you have spent analyzing the student data and formulating the individualized Action Plan will be less effective if you do not communicate the information in a caring and meaningful manner. Remember, this is a collaborative process: the student needs to be heard and to be encouraged to participate.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Am I on the same page as the student?
• Do I have a good sense of what is influencing their performance?
• Do I understand the student’s reality?

From the many years of meeting students, we have learned that it is vital to be:

• honest and genuine with the student
• realistic about the goals that we are working towards
• responsive to the student’s input
• non-judgemental

Consider the therapeutic relationship that a nurse establishes with the client. The same concept holds true for our relationship with our students. Remember, we are meeting with them at a time when they are probably feeling insecure and vulnerable. Using an empathetic approach (putting ourselves in the student’s situation) goes a long way towards earning their trust and creating a safe environment. 

Step 4 – Complete the Action Plan

Following the meeting with the student, update the Action Plan, incorporating the student’s input. We like to conclude our written Action Plan with some words of encouragement for the student, as we did for Mina.

Step 5 – Send the Revised Action Plan to the Student

We recommend sending the Action Plan by email; this ensures that the student has a written copy of the Action Plan in a timely manner.

You can refer to our sample completed Action Plan. We have written the revision that were made to the Action Plan following the meeting with the student.

This ends the section on how to use PASS in a One-on-One context after the student has completed one test. Typically, a student writes more than one test per semester; therefore, comparing student performance following a subsequent test will be addressed in Comparing Student Performance between Tests.

Usually, we do not use PASS for the final test of the semester. However, if students request their SPAG, we provide them. The SPAG from the final test of the semester can give students an overview of their accomplishments and areas that still need improvement. Should you choose to meet with the individual students following the final test of the semester, the process remains the same.

Before you move on to the next section, you can now look at the Action Plan for William.