PASS Plan

The staff at ILP is continually focusing on improving student success and we developed the PASS program (Plan Apply Study Succeed). This is a process that is implicit in learning, it is a system that makes the students look at the big picture of their learning based on the chapter, unit, semester, and whole course. We were concerned that too many students were getting mired in the weekly assignments and not seeing the big picture of why and how they should be studying. We are teaching the process explicitly and expecting students to use it on a daily and weekly basis to ensure that they are getting the most out of their studies. Each student should have a PASS Plan that they complete weekly with study times, methods, and test scores. Please take a moment to discuss this process with your student and help them discover the best way for them to study and be successful. Offer to test them on material before the exam, this gives them a good indication of how clearly they understand the information. This process is an important one for all students regardless of their GPA. The ability to plan out learning and study techniques are critical in college and the workplace. All of the ILP teachers have created PASS Plan study techniques for each subject area. We have collected some data on students using the PASS Plan and have seen a 5-10% rise in test grades when students take the PASS Plan seriously.

 

Plan- When students begin a new chapter or unit he/she should make a plan of attack to enable success. Students will review previous tests and quizzes in the meeting with the teacher. Students review the course set up and determine how he/she is assessed/tested, how often, and when the office hours are for this course. He/she will preview the chapter/units so I know the things he/she will need to spend more time with. He/she will make a PASS plan for each class that has assessments. 

 

Apply- To assure success students must work on a plan for each class (what should be studied and how often). He/she needs to determine what study strategies would work best for him/her and for the subject matter. Students will consult the subject area PASS plans created by the teachers (math, English, science, etc.). Students will use the study techniques a minimum of three times per week for each class. This can vary from 5 minutes a day to 30 minutes a few times week.

 

Study- Based on previous PASS steps (Plan and Apply) these are the techniques students will use to study for tests. Students should review the study technique they have chosen for each test/assessment and study. They should log the study time noting the time of day and length. After studying they should determine if they liked the technique and if it was effective.

 

Succeed- Students determine what grade they think they earned after taking the test and then compare it to the actual grade earned. They then compare the scores and study techniques used for the previous test and reassess the plan portion f the PASS plan for the next test. This system keeps the student in a continual review and improvement process that hones his/her skills.