The performance of students in an institution is a measurement of the success in curriculum delivery, student discipline, and management system. The existence of the school is built on the need to develop students who will develop themselves and their environment. Therefore, the student becomes an institution's first priority. Motivating the students is, therefore, paramount to the success of the student and the institution.
Step 1: Examining the Data
Greatest areas of instructional need
| Instructional Improvement Target | Data Support | Current Intervention |
| Student management through increased motivation and engagement with school and classroom materials | 271 students with attendance below 90%, and 190 suspensions |
Involving parents in meetings and program to improve parent and student involvement in school Parent and family engagement policy Joint activities by school and parents Parent and family consultations Building parents’ and school staff’s capacity Calendar events to unite teachers, parents, and students |
| Curriculum delivery | 100-course failure in math or ELA |
Implementation of standards-based curriculum. Adoption of WICOR strategies to teach the standards-based curriculum Monitoring classroom progress through regular visits by the administration. Evaluation through QSMA data student grades classroom observations learning walks follow-up coaching |
| Increase student gain and learning proficiency | ELA performance decline by point 14 in 2017-2018 from a point 4 increase in 2016-2017 |
Adoption of WICOR (writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading) Targeted improvements in math and ELA |
| Building a robust school leadership team | One principal, two assistant principal, two deans, one instructional coach, one instructional media, and three guidance and counselors |
Participation in weekly professional development and collaborative planning Classroom management Implementation of behavior plans Employment of intervention teams to facilitate anger management and confidence building |
| Improve student success rate and graduation to next class | Ten retained students in grade 8 |
Establishment of an eleven-team members leadership to manage student learning Implementation of WICOR strategy Institution-parent collaboration Student management through motivation programs |
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Step 2: Prioritizing the Target
The most significant priority instructional improvement target is student management through increased motivation and engagement with school and classroom materials. The strategy focuses on motivating students to embrace education and appreciate their learning environment (Van der Kleij, 2014). The student's motivation is important to the success of the other four strategies. For instance, however much the administration invests in the delivery of curriculum, work to make student's graduation to next level a hundred percent or increase student gain and learning proficiency, if the students are not willing to involve their energy, thought, and time, no success will be realized. The four strategies can work out if they are understood as the effect of student motivation and engagement.
The choice of student motivation and involvement strategy was arrived at through the application of cause and effect methodology and systems thinking. The system-thinking tool involves the consideration of how various units interact to bring a given effect (Arnold & Wade, 2017). Cause and effect examine actions and their results. It can be accomplished by considering one element while the system's thinking involves various units such as the interaction between the five strategies (Arnold & Wade, 2015; Van der Kleij, 2014 ) . The strategies are causes, while the intended results are the effect. Therefore, the choice selection was based on a cause that could generate the highest benefit and possibly assist in the achievement of the other strategies. The purpose of establishing a leadership structure, curriculum delivery strategy, improving the student success rate, and increasing student learning proficiency relates to helping the student realize their academic goals and personal development. Students cannot be assisted if they do not manifest the desire for assistance. Therefore, pursuing the other four strategies on an unwilling student is unprofitable. It is, therefore, conclusive that preparing the student through motivation and involvement talks improves the probability of succeeding in the remaining four strategies.
The strategy on leadership involves the greater percentage of the institution's needs. Motivating students to embrace learning and school involvement would reduce costs and improve community involvement and funding, which makes the strategy more important. Besides this, the mission and vision guided the preference for the student’s over the school’s needs. The school’s mission statement highlights the role of the administration, staff, and faculty, of the institution in ensuring a higher standard of excellence. The management seeks to collaborate with the students, parents, and the community in achieving its goal. Besides, the goal emphasizes the institution's commitment to educating the student and fostering a safe school environment where our students can learn. Therefore, the focus is on the student with the vision adding more detail to the goal. The first vision is to inspire the students who depend on student motivation and involvement in the curricular. The second is to encourage students through positive character development, and the last is developing students to be future leaders. The vision aligns with the selected strategy and therefore is mindful of the institution's goal and vision
It was not difficult to narrow down to one choice. The process relied on the cause and effect rule, which helped in the selection of the strategy with the highest benefit or positive effect. However, there were a few challenges. First, developing the five options and selecting the best from the high number was tasking. If the options were two, it would have been very easy to select one. Secondly, the strategies had the potential of helping in the achievement of more than that single strategy. For instance, improving student's proficient in learning would help them to have a high transition rate to other classes and improve curriculum delivery (Van der Kleij, 2014). A robust leadership would motivate the teachers to administer curriculum effectively, improve student transition rate, and learning and proficiency. Therefore arriving at a single choice was determined by the common good it had on the other strategies. The selection process depended on my exercising principled justice and fairness in considering the advantages of all strategies and selecting the best.
Step 3: Describing Current Reality
The students are the targeted population. The institution's vision and mission insist on student development above others. The other areas could only be improved if their development is consistent with the achievement of the students' needs. The institution has established plans to put into action a robust leadership team. The team has counselors who are important in the achievement of student motivation and involvement. In addition, the school involves parents and has a working parent policy that incorporates teachers, parents, and students in joint talks and cooperation. The current strategy is viable. It needs to be implemented as soon as possible. More members should be added to the counseling office to meet the needs of student motivation
Conclusion
Student motivation is fundamental to the success of an institution. An institution would spend more time, money, and human labor to push students that are not motivated to achieve their career goals. Therefore, investing in student motivation through counseling programs is vital to the success of other areas such as school management, curricular delivery, and student performance.
References
Arnold, R. D., & Wade, J. P. (2015). A definition of systems thinking: A systems approach. Procedia Computer Science, 44 , 669-678.
Arnold, R. D., & Wade, J. P. (2017). A complete set of systems thinking skills. Insight, 20 (3), 9-17.
Van der Kleij, F. M. et al. (2014). Integrating data-based decision making, Assessment for Learning and diagnostic testing in formative assessment. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 22 (3): 324-343. doi: 10.1080/0969594X.2014.999024
