Action Planning

Description
Personal Reflection | 15 minutes

There is always room to be even more intentional, even more culturally responsive about Developmental Relationships, but no educator or program needs to start this work from scratch. Relatedly, building relationships requires continuous improvement, adaptation, and reflection. Search Institute uses action planning with youth-serving programs with a particular focus on relationships. The template below is designed to guide tutors and program staff to discuss relational goals and outcomes and plan the processes that can achieve them. Although the template is phrased for the math tutoring context, it could be easily modified to an action plan about a math classroom. Click here to download this page as a PDF.

An example spreadsheet of action planning

Instructions

1. Program outcomes: What will youth receive upon completing the math program?

This prompt includes primary (intended) and secondary (indirect) outcomes. For math tutoring programs, primarily intended outcomes are often growth in math knowledge, motivation, engagement, sense of belonging, etc. Some examples of secondary or indirect outcomes include formation of friendships, reinforcement of healthy work habits, and reduced risk for out-of-school time victimization and delinquency.

2. Intermediate outcomes: What are the short-term impacts of the math program?

This prompt can include any outcomes not previously discussed in program outcomes. It can also include outcomes that are limited by time (weekly and monthly goals) as well as sequential goals that build on one another toward the final program outcomes.

3. Program activities: What do tutors and students do during the math program?

This prompt helps tutors focus on the primary content of math learning in their program. Imagine someone is taking over your work for one day, what are all the things they need to do and all the things they need to know in order to make sure work runs smoothly? Try to be as specific as possible; for example, instead of ‘create a safe space to learn’, name out what actions contribute to making that possible (e.g., encourage mistakes to happen, normalize mistakes when they happen, check in with students emotionally in the beginning, provide snacks and decorate the room to make it cozy and safe.

4. Resources and inputs: What is needed to implement your program?

This prompt addresses the behind-the-scenes of programs, a critical aspect of planning for math learning in the long term. Make sure to reflect broadly on the needs of the program and the students, including for example instructional materials, qualified tutors, physical space, professional development, and time management that enable tutors to do their best.

5. Strengths and barriers: what contextual factors help or hurt the program's success?

This prompt helps tutors reflect on the social and institutional contexts of their math program. These can include strengths like community value/appreciation for math and family buy-in and barriers like unstable program funding and social norms that discourage youth from math. Once strengths and barriers are identified, rank them by importance to guide strategic priorities.

Tips and Tricks

Going Deeper. For a holistic view of learning contexts, pair this reflection with Intentional Relationship Building, Rooted in Relationships, and Culturally Responsive Relationships.

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