1. Study Skills Probe Fall 2009
Missouri State University
Secondary Field Experience
COU 781

2. Improving Grades in a 6th Grade Class
Brittany Gaines Supervisor: Rena Coller Pershing Middle School Springfield Missouri

3. The Problem
There is a need to improve grades for several students at Pershing Middle School.
Their average GPA for 4th quarter in 5th grade was 1.75.
Data for these students showed several areas that needed to be worked on:
Organization
Paying attention
Reading Comprehension

4. SIMS Students -6th grade students with poor grades in fifth grade
Intervention -6week study skills group and individual meetings. Academic Recovery Class
Measurements –GPA was calculated for 5th grade 4th quarter and compared with 6th grade 1st quarter. Self-esteem.
Setting -Counselor led study skills group in 2nd block of students Academic Recovery class.

5. Intervention
The 12 students with low grades in 5th grade were placed in an Academic Recovery class
Counselor went into the classroom on Tuesday’s at 10:30 and led a 6 week study skills group.
Counselor had individual sessions with each student to assess progress reports and help with individual concerns.

6. Intervention… Session One -Organization (Jenga) Attendance
Paying attention
Participating in class
Planner
Self-Esteem Inventory
Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Program
ucation.org

7. Intervention…. Session Two –How we spend our Time
Session Three –Personal Study Habits
Session Four –Reading Comprehension (SQ3R)
Individual Meetings

8. www.wwnorton.com/c ollege/psych/psychs ci/.../rosenberg.htm
Intervention….
Session Five –Learning Styles -Game
Session Six –How to take a test
Read Lorax (gave test)
Post Self-esteem inventory
ollege/psych/psychs ci/.../rosenberg.htm

9. Intervention…
Follow up session –cleaned out desks with students individually
Reviewed all previous sessions
Played BINGO
Sentence strips

10. Results -GPA

11. Results –Self-Esteem

12. Summary
10 of the 12 students GPA improved from 5th grade 4th quarter to 6th grade 1st quarter.
Avg. GPA went from 1.75 to 2.64
7 of the 12 students had an improvement in their self-esteem.
Students showed improvement on their interaction with their teachers and on their organizational skills

13. Recomendations Identify students who continue to struggle with grades
Continue to monitor Academic Recovery class throughout the school year
Randomly check students planners and desks
Counselor should continue to go into the AR classroom and have individual sessions