Loretta Klosterman

Describe what brought you to this research:

In the beginning of the school year, I sent out a school wide needs assessment to discover what counseling services might be needed at my fieldwork site. The fifth and sixth grade teachers expressed concern that several students desired to be more academically successful, but did not have the skills to do so. Students lacked good organization, study habits, and struggled turning in their work. Simultaneously, my fieldwork had purchased the Student Success Skills (SSS) program of which I had strong interest in incorporating into my work. The literature describes the SSS program as “an effective way to merge constructs of cognition and instructional practice to increase the academic success of students” (Lemberger, Brigman, Webb & Moore, 2012, p. 89). According to Lemberger, et al (2012), students who have participated in the SSS program have evidenced improved test scores, motivation, self-efficacy and behavioral and cognitive engagement (p.91). Some research suggests that students retain and continuously use skills taught in the SSS model. An action research study conducted by Luck & Webb (2009) with 4th and 5th grade students pointed to long lasting results following implementation of the SSS program. Three years of data showed continuous improvement in academic achievement in math and reading scores (Luck & Webb, 2009). Based on voiced concerns of the fifth and sixth grade teachers, my desire to utilize the SSS curriculum as well as the extensive research proving the effectiveness of SSS, I decided to implement the SSS program with fifth and sixth grade students to provide academic counseling.

What was your specific research question?

Does social, emotional, and self-management learning increase student academic performance?

Does use of the Student Success Skills (SSS) program enhance a school counseling intern’s practice of providing academic support to struggling students?

What are you currently doing as a credentialed practitioner?

​Academic counseling and guidance, at any grade level, has always been a passion of mine. I am currently working as an admissions counselor for Colorado Mesa University. I am a regional representative, covering the territory of Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. My plan is to be an admissions counselor for a few years before taking an elementary school counselor position. In the long term I want to work at an elementary school level. Although my action research did not necessarily prepare me for my immediate job after graduate school, the experience gained from my project has given me new knowledge and understanding of providing academic support. I will look back on my action research experience to further strengthen my practice when I do work as a school counselor in a k-12 setting.