Whole School Motivation: Turnbull HS
Who was involved in this practice?
GO4IT is a promoting positive behaviour and attitudinal target setting programme for our S3/4 students. In addition to the students themselves, GO4IT has involved the work of:
Students/School Council (to shape the development and name of the scheme);
Whole school staff (to provide data information on performance);
Guidance Secretary – Jean Thomas (to electronically collate all of the data);
PT Ethos – Duncan Mitchell (to identify student progress and provide feedback);
SMT (to show support and therefore importance of programme);
PSE Tutors (to manage target setting activities);
Parents (to acknowledge and support targets);
Guidance Team (to follow up on support areas identified).
What were we seeking to achieve?
The aim of this initiative was to actively motivate students during their Standard Grade course, by:
encouraging students to be positive, prepared, well behaved and complete homework,
getting students to review their progress in its widest sense and create appropriate action plans;
celebrating achievement of action plans and improvements in these areas,
rewarding achievement in these areas.
How was the work developed or implemented?
The programme was primarily developed through discussion between the Head Teacher, SMT, PT Ethos and Guidance Secretary, and the subsequent structure and operation of it can be seen below.
Data on student performance is given by staff on Behaviour, Attitude, Homework and Progress (twice per year – one from a progress return and once from profiles to minimise workload implications).
Data is processed electronically by the Guidance Secretary and passed to PT Ethos in order to allow them to identify student progress in these areas and to provide feedback through an awards ceremony (with SMT involvement, student certificates and prizes) and student progress letters.
PSE Tutors allow students to reflect on the information in their student progress letters and prepare their performance targets which are taken home to parents and recorded for Guidance follow up.
The Staff, Guidance and SMT team are provided with information about all student progress to allow targeted support and follow up.
The main development activities involved in the implementation of the programme involved the development of the databases to manage the process by the Guidance Secretary and PT Ethos.
Reflection on successes and challenges
Consultation has identified GO4IT has being beneficial to the community of Turnbull High School in the following ways.
It has actively recognised and reinforced the commitment of our S3/4 students by fostering a sense of accomplishment and motivation.
It has helped develop an ethos where achievement is worthwhile and should be celebrated in order to try and combat any peer negativity about success.
It has helped develop of an ethos where personal achievement can always be strived for no matter what academic ability is.
It has allowed S3/4 students the opportunity to take ownership of their progress through time for reflection and personal target setting.
It has provided parents, staff, Guidance and SMT with information about student performance to help them offer praise or support in order to improve it.
It has capitalised on the positive feedback from students about the benefits of original promoting positive behaviour system in S1/2 (Aiming High) and so maintain this positive momentum and message.
On reflection, though, more consideration could have been given to the time implications for Guidance, and so this year the School is looking to revise the timing of the programme to allow for more timely follow up.
Recommendations for other practioners
I believe that GO4IT could be taken up by others to motivate and empower students to achieve their full potential if the following ideas can be adopted.
Effort should be celebrated and rewarded rather than simply expected.
The School Community’s expectations about student potential can often be self-fulfilling and so it is better to try and accentuate the positive rather than the negative.
Student partnership in target setting - rather than simple dictation - provides more meaning for them and in turn increases their commitment to improvement.
Where the work took place
GO4IT takes place in Turnbull High School, (St Mary’s Road, Bishopbriggs, GLASGOW, G64 2EF) which is part of the East Dunbartonshire Authority. For more information contact Mr D Mitchell (PT Ethos), on 0141 772 9101 or via e-mail at dmitchell@turnbull.e-dunbarton.sch.uk.
