Working systematically: Your strategies

What can you try?

Your goals are an end point.

Your targets describe what you are trying to achieve specifically.

Strategies are how you will achieve your goals and targets.

Think holistically

It's no use having an excellent literacy program if students are not attending school. Equally, if students are attending, quality programs are required for progress to be achieved.

Material in The Guidebook and included here explains why there are three central strategies to work on and why they are inextricably related.

For some practical ideas on each of the three issues, follow these links:

Cultural respect, recognition and support: Have you tried…?

Skill development: Have you tried…?

Participation: Have you tried…?

The Loddon Mallee Region of Victoria was part of a What Works initiative in 2007.

Read on...

Think about individuals

One strong message of these materials is to start with individual students.

Have you tried negotiating and preparing individual action plans or contracts for individual students with the student and his or her carers?

Even where there is no whole school plan this has been one strategy which has frequently paid dividends for all concerned. It might be down the track in your work, but while you are thinking about the other issues don't neglect this possibility.

Here is an outline and a template for individual action plans…

TAKING ACTION: Add strategies to your goals and targets. Insert the appropriate information in your plan.