FOCUS
Program for At-Risk Students grades 9-12
GOAL: to provide support and to empower at-risk students with the skills necessary to succeed in the academic setting resulting in high school graduation.
AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT
| I. | Study Skills | |
| A. | Organizational skills (keeping track of assignments, notebooks, planning projects, sorting, prioritizing). | |
| B. | Learning styles (visual, auditory, kinetic – understanding and identifying types, which work best when). | |
| C. | Time-management (scheduling time for study, working, playing – long and short term). | |
| D. | Test-taking skills (true/false, multiple choice, short answer, essay – knowing what the questions are asking, reading/identifying special words, using pictures, connecting to past knowledge). | |
| E. | Note-taking skills (from lectures, books, films, speakers –shorthand). | |
| F. | Memorization skills (acronyms, association, visualization, etc, - what works best when). | |
| G. | Listening skills (concentrating, thinking with ideas instead of emotions, connecting/joining ideas together). | |
II. Behavior Modification
| A. | Self-esteem (learning to take pride in accomplishments, recognizing strengths and weaknesses, overcoming fear of learning). | |
| B. | Personal responsibility (accepting credit/blame for own actions, avoiding giving others power, solving own problems). | |
| C. | Appropriate social behavior (different setting/different behavior, language, topics of conversation, bodily functions, gestures, waiting your turn, politeness, respect for others, body language, dress). | |
| D. | Peer pressure (negative vs. positive, standing up for your beliefs, “sex drugs and rock-n-roll”, cheating). | |
| E. | Coping skills (stress relief, tension breakers, external pressure from parents or bosses or teachers, internal pressure from self, realistic expectations). | |
| F. | Anger management (identifying and understanding triggers, alternate behaviors, prevention, self-monitoring, keeping your own “power”, accepting responsibility for feelings). | |
III. Goal Preparation
| A. | Personal wellness goals (setting realistic goals for change – smoking, drinking, substance abuse, treatment of friends, diet, exercise). | |
| B. | Curriculum choices (long and short term plan of class selection – what, when and why). | |
| C. | Credit requirements (understanding how credits are earned, which are needed for what, going to the Oaks, becoming a Sophomore, Junior, or Senior, GPA, class standing, needs for various post-graduate plans). | |
| D. | Graduation requirements (knowing which course credits are needed and ways of earning them, understanding other Mariemont requirements and how to accomplish them, state requirements and how to accomplish them, Vocational school graduation requirements, what to do if you come up short). | |
| E. | Career investigation (identifying interests and strengths and determining appropriate directions, broadening the base of possibilities, understanding educational/experience requirements, understanding and investigating work related conditions, salaries, and job outlook, comparison of possible career choices). | |
IV. Standardized Tests Preparation
| A. | OGT – Reading, writing, and math (skills development and test practice). | |
| B. | ERB, SAT, ACT, etc. (testing practice). | |