This week we were asked to reflect on the different parts of the course. I found the reflections helped allow me to self-evaluate my progress in this course. I found this assignment very validating to my work over the past 5 weeks.
Lectures: Each week Dr. Arterbury and Dr. Jenkins gave a personal overview of what our week was going to encompass. I enjoyed listening to both professors discuss the area we were about to study. Because we aren’t “in the classroom” I felt like that the videos were time to soak in the professors’ purpose for this course. I enjoyed the virtual face to face time I had with both professors because again it made me feel like I was both just sitting in front of a computer reading information about my course. I was able to actually see the professors and if needed, communicate with them regarding my course.
Readings: During both reading assignments I had to pause a moment and use different resources to gain better understanding of what both authors were saying. Dana’s text I felt lent itself to be more academic. However, while Harris’ text was academic I felt it was more of any “easy read”. I gained valuable information from both texts. I feel both texts helped me in more than one way gain valuable insight into information during the beginnings of my action research plan. I would also say they were very applicable to my action research plan.
Searches, like electronic searches of topics and questions: During the five weeks of this course, I would use the internet when the text was unclear or if I needed to find more in depth definitions. It helped to have another author’s perspective to clarify what the authors were trying to say to us. I also found reading other action research plans was helping because it allowed me to see what an action research resembled.
Assignments and activities: The assignments and activities that I completed during this course have been very valuable. I feel that as an aspiring administrator, the more practice I have learning how to write an action research plan and how to develop appropriate action research questions, the more qualified I will be to my campus. I will use different tools to aid my research such as the CARE Model, Force Field Analysis, the Delphi Model, and the Nominal Group Technique. Each of these tools will allow me to gain a deeper insight into how to work with my faculty.
Discussion Board: The weekly discussion boards were like the classroom discussions that go on in a typical university setting. It allowed us to voice our opinion and allow for feedback that was constructive and beneficial at the same time. I feel that without the discussion board, the students in this course would feel isolated and alone. The discussion board feedback I received was valuable. I reflected on each student comments on my post and took into consideration what they had to say.
Blogs: I never thought I would have a blog. I am not private person, but on the other hand I didn’t feel I needed a blog in my life either. I am encompassed in social networking via texts, e-mail, Facebook, etc. The action research blog for me has allowed me to post my opinions on my coursework and allow for feedback. I have checked my blog every day for comments. I hope that as the course continues I’ll start seeing more. The ability to check others blogs in the same course really is neat to me. I like having the ability to see what others are thinking. The blog also has allowed me to share my views on educational topics that others may never known I had. I feel that my blog has given me second voice.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
EDLD 5301....Wrap it up and put a bow on it...for now!
EDLD 5301 Research for Teachers has taught me a great deal. When I read the title of the course, I assumed we would be reading many different forms of research and writing reflections or essays from what we had studied. I dreaded it. That is not how I learn. I was happy to see from the course overviews that the assignments were much more than that.
The new learning that really caught my interest was action research. I had no inkling of what action research was until I begin this course 4 ½ weeks ago. I spent time looking online at what others classified as action research. I read a few blogs from past Lamar students to get an idea of how they saw action research. Hence, by the time I had to begin creating my own action research plan and drafting my question/wonderings I was prepared because I had done some “research”. In one of the many meetings I had with my site supervisor, we discussed our campuses action plan, which I was surprised to see how closely the draft I was creating resembled our campuses action plan. The format, the wording, the criteria, etc. were relatively the same. For me, to see that what I am learning in my 2nd course of my Educational Administration Masters program was something that I will be applying to possibly a campus where I am a site supervisor one day, made that learning valid.
I would be careless to say that action research is not an area where I still want to learn more. I know that as the internship program continues and my action research continues, I will learn much more about the topic. I want to learn more about how to get more teachers involved in doing their own action research. If every grade level, once a year took a topic that was really an issue to them and their students, our campus would learn so much more about our students. Many times we think we know our students but in reality, we could know so much more. I would like to see how we could use that data to turn our campus into a true Professional Learning Community.
To continue building my understanding of action research, I am going to complete my action research study on the impact of afterschool tutorials on student growth and achievement. I also plan on keeping up with my classmates’ blogs to see how their action research plans are going. I will continue reading information online and in the text that was required for this course, but we did not read due to time constraints. After my initial action research study is completed for this internship program, I would also like to partake in more action research that I think will benefit my campus. When choosing a topic for my action research study for this course, I brainstormed many ideas and a number of them my site supervisor felt would be of interest to our campus. I hope to be able to delve into those areas after the current action research is finished.
On another note, I am in the process of setting up the initial introduction of my action research plan to the faculty. That should be happening within a week or so. I have already been collecting data because so much is shared with the entire campus when benchmarks are done. I'll post more next week on the initial introduction and how that plays out!
The new learning that really caught my interest was action research. I had no inkling of what action research was until I begin this course 4 ½ weeks ago. I spent time looking online at what others classified as action research. I read a few blogs from past Lamar students to get an idea of how they saw action research. Hence, by the time I had to begin creating my own action research plan and drafting my question/wonderings I was prepared because I had done some “research”. In one of the many meetings I had with my site supervisor, we discussed our campuses action plan, which I was surprised to see how closely the draft I was creating resembled our campuses action plan. The format, the wording, the criteria, etc. were relatively the same. For me, to see that what I am learning in my 2nd course of my Educational Administration Masters program was something that I will be applying to possibly a campus where I am a site supervisor one day, made that learning valid.
I would be careless to say that action research is not an area where I still want to learn more. I know that as the internship program continues and my action research continues, I will learn much more about the topic. I want to learn more about how to get more teachers involved in doing their own action research. If every grade level, once a year took a topic that was really an issue to them and their students, our campus would learn so much more about our students. Many times we think we know our students but in reality, we could know so much more. I would like to see how we could use that data to turn our campus into a true Professional Learning Community.
To continue building my understanding of action research, I am going to complete my action research study on the impact of afterschool tutorials on student growth and achievement. I also plan on keeping up with my classmates’ blogs to see how their action research plans are going. I will continue reading information online and in the text that was required for this course, but we did not read due to time constraints. After my initial action research study is completed for this internship program, I would also like to partake in more action research that I think will benefit my campus. When choosing a topic for my action research study for this course, I brainstormed many ideas and a number of them my site supervisor felt would be of interest to our campus. I hope to be able to delve into those areas after the current action research is finished.
On another note, I am in the process of setting up the initial introduction of my action research plan to the faculty. That should be happening within a week or so. I have already been collecting data because so much is shared with the entire campus when benchmarks are done. I'll post more next week on the initial introduction and how that plays out!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Challenges....they are all around us!
Last week I posted my Action Research Plan. I want to thank those of you that took time to comment on my proposed study. I look forward to looking over many more of your plans and leaving comments as well.
Now, this week, we had a discussion board that I think started some great conversations amongst our learning community. The questions were: What specific challenges do you foresee in implementing your action research study? How you plan to address those challenges? Both questions lead me to think about the leadership book I read for our first course, The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by Jon Gordon. This book is great! It's an easy read and while it's not set in a school setting, all the principles can be applied to your school today! I am going to post the leadership book summary below. I hope you enjoy reading it and that it encourages you to read the book itself.
The leadership book I chose to read for this assignment was The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by Jon Gordon. The book outlines 10 rules that are designed to help you lead a more meaningful and productive life filled with positive energy. The author chooses to write this book not chapter by chapter explaining what each rules means with examples that the reader cannot relate to, but in the format of a story.
The two main characters of the story are George and Joy. George can be described as a miserable individual, who starts out in the story unhappy with his job, has a strained relationship with his children, and his marriage is heading for divorce. Joy on the other hand is the complete opposite. She loves life and loves her job, which is as a city bus driver. George and Joy encounter each other after George’s car gets put in the repair shop for two weeks and he becomes forced to take the city bus. When George first meets Joy, he is immediately turned off by her happy disposition and positive attitude. He wishes he had never met her. However, that very same day he takes his first ride on the Joy’s bus, his boss tells him that his job performance is not meeting the expectations that were set for him. He is in jeopardy of losing his employment. George realizes then he needs Joy and her “energy bus”. He begins taking the bus every day to work and on those morning rides, Joy and few other energy bus riders begin to lay out the plan that will in the end up changing George’s life. During the two week period, Joy introduces George to 10 rules that are essential for creating and maintaining positive energy. She enlists the help of fellow bus riders that share with George how the rules can be applied and examples of how they have worked for them. The story continues with George utilizing all the rules and seeing great change in all areas. In the end, George is a changed human being and thanks Joy for giving him the ride of his life. He presents her with a sign that lists the 10 Rules so future passengers will know that this is not your ordinary bus, it’s an energy bus!
10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy
1. You’re the driver of your bus.
2. Desire, vision, and focus move your bus in the right direction.
3. Fuel your ride with positive energy.
4. Invite people on your bus and share your vision for the road ahead.
5. Don’t waste your energy on those who don’t get on your bus.
6. Post a sign that says NO ENERGY VAMPIRES ALLOWED on your bus.
7. Enthusiasm attracts more passengers and energizes them during the ride.
8. Love your passengers.
9. Drive with purpose.
10. Have fun and enjoy the ride. (2007, p.157)
The Energy Bus is very relevant to educational leadership. It could lend itself to principals who are struggling with staff or to jump start a school year. In the back of the book there is an action plan that all leaders can use in order to fuel their own bus ride. This plan could benefit any school and turn it into a campus where everyone is proud to work there or send their children to school there. It will definitely FUEL your life!
Now, this week, we had a discussion board that I think started some great conversations amongst our learning community. The questions were: What specific challenges do you foresee in implementing your action research study? How you plan to address those challenges? Both questions lead me to think about the leadership book I read for our first course, The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by Jon Gordon. This book is great! It's an easy read and while it's not set in a school setting, all the principles can be applied to your school today! I am going to post the leadership book summary below. I hope you enjoy reading it and that it encourages you to read the book itself.
The leadership book I chose to read for this assignment was The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by Jon Gordon. The book outlines 10 rules that are designed to help you lead a more meaningful and productive life filled with positive energy. The author chooses to write this book not chapter by chapter explaining what each rules means with examples that the reader cannot relate to, but in the format of a story.
The two main characters of the story are George and Joy. George can be described as a miserable individual, who starts out in the story unhappy with his job, has a strained relationship with his children, and his marriage is heading for divorce. Joy on the other hand is the complete opposite. She loves life and loves her job, which is as a city bus driver. George and Joy encounter each other after George’s car gets put in the repair shop for two weeks and he becomes forced to take the city bus. When George first meets Joy, he is immediately turned off by her happy disposition and positive attitude. He wishes he had never met her. However, that very same day he takes his first ride on the Joy’s bus, his boss tells him that his job performance is not meeting the expectations that were set for him. He is in jeopardy of losing his employment. George realizes then he needs Joy and her “energy bus”. He begins taking the bus every day to work and on those morning rides, Joy and few other energy bus riders begin to lay out the plan that will in the end up changing George’s life. During the two week period, Joy introduces George to 10 rules that are essential for creating and maintaining positive energy. She enlists the help of fellow bus riders that share with George how the rules can be applied and examples of how they have worked for them. The story continues with George utilizing all the rules and seeing great change in all areas. In the end, George is a changed human being and thanks Joy for giving him the ride of his life. He presents her with a sign that lists the 10 Rules so future passengers will know that this is not your ordinary bus, it’s an energy bus!
10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy
1. You’re the driver of your bus.
2. Desire, vision, and focus move your bus in the right direction.
3. Fuel your ride with positive energy.
4. Invite people on your bus and share your vision for the road ahead.
5. Don’t waste your energy on those who don’t get on your bus.
6. Post a sign that says NO ENERGY VAMPIRES ALLOWED on your bus.
7. Enthusiasm attracts more passengers and energizes them during the ride.
8. Love your passengers.
9. Drive with purpose.
10. Have fun and enjoy the ride. (2007, p.157)
The Energy Bus is very relevant to educational leadership. It could lend itself to principals who are struggling with staff or to jump start a school year. In the back of the book there is an action plan that all leaders can use in order to fuel their own bus ride. This plan could benefit any school and turn it into a campus where everyone is proud to work there or send their children to school there. It will definitely FUEL your life!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
The Plan Layed Out
| Mrs. Adams’ Action Research Plan | ||||
| Goal: to determine if the after-school tutorials program in Math result in student achievement and growth in grades 3-5 | ||||
| Action Steps(s): | Person(s) Responsible: | Timeline: Start/End | Needed Resources | Evaluation |
| Meet with principal to discuss thoughts regarding likely action research questions | Lauren Adams Principal, Amy Simson | February 2011 | School Data Intern Plan SIP | Prepares a list of possible action research questions |
| Choose an action research question/study. Discuss strategies for implementation. | Lauren Adams Principal, Amy Simson | March 2011 | School Data Intern Plan SIP | Confirm a topic and question for action research study |
| Acquire permission to present the question/study at our monthly faculty meeting. Explain what an action research study is. | Lauren Adams Principal, Amy Simson | March 2011 | Action Research Plan | Comment cards from faculty and staff |
| Share the action research question/study with the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade teachers.
| Lauren Adams and 3rd, 4th and 5th grade Math tutorial teachers (A. Neelley, J. Tate, R. Garvey, M. Crider, E. VonFlatern and K. Meyers) | March 2011 | Action Research Plan School Data Tutorial Rosters | Comments, suggestions from tutorial teachers |
| Accumulate all data on our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade Math tutorial students.
| Lauren Adams | March 2011 | All available data (District Assessments, TAKS practice tests, grades, tutorial attendance) | Are we meeting the needs of all students in tutorials? |
| Collect tutorial attendance rosters.
| Lauren Adams | March 2011 | Tutorial rosters for each class | Attendance rates |
| Assemble student information as to who is attending tutorials (males/females, ethnicity, attendance rate)
| Lauren Adams | March 2011 | Tutorial rosters Chancery Data | Grade level, teacher specific spreadsheets |
| Compile teacher information.
| Lauren Adams and tutorial teachers | March 2011 | Tutorial teachers | Tutorial teacher information data |
| Design and overseea survey created for teachers and students.
| Lauren Adams Principal, Amy Simson | April 2011 | Teacher and student surveys Survey Monkey | Surveys |
| Bring together results of survey. Analyze survey.
| Lauren Adams | April 2011 | Surveys (teachers and students) | Results of teacher and student surveys |
| Meet with site supervisor to conferwith her regarding results of surveys.
| Lauren Adams Principal, Amy Simson | April 2011 | Survey results | Results of teacher and student surveys |
| Construct a tutorial plan based on results of surveys
| Lauren Adams Principal, Amy Simson | May 2011 | Survey results School Data | Tutorial Plan |
| Come together with tutorial teachers to share and discuss results of the teacher and student surveys.
| Lauren Adams and tutorial teachers | May 2011 | Survey results School Data | Meeting minutes, concerns, questions and celebrations |
| Use TAKS practice results to gauge student growth in tutorials.
| Lauren Adams | April 2011 | TAKS practice data results | Tutorial Spreadsheets accounting for student growth |
| Compile and analyze TAKS practice data.
| Lauren Adams | April 2011 | TAKS practice data results
| Tutorial Spreadsheets |
| Meet with principal to examine TAKS data.
| Lauren Adams Principal, Amy Simson | April 2011 | TAKS practice data results | Tutorial Spreadsheets |
| Disclose data with tutorial teachers during grade level PLC meetings.
| Lauren Adams Principal, Amy Simson and tutorial teachers | April 2011 | TAKS practice data results | Meeting minutes, concerns, questions and celebrations |
| Examine final TAKS scores for tutorial students specifically passing and commended percentages.
| Lauren Adams | May 2011 | TAKS results | TAKS results |
| Present results to principal and tutorial teachers.
| Lauren Adams Principal, Amy Simson and tutorial teachers | May 2011 | TAKS results School Data
| TAKS results |
| Present preliminary results at May faculty meeting. | Lauren Adams | May 2011 | TAKS results Tutorial results | TAKS results Tutorial results |
| Survey Stanford scores and final grades for tutorial students. | Lauren Adams | June 2011 | Stanford results Final Grades | Stanford Results Final Grades |
| Evaluate all data (TAKS, Stanford and final grades)
| Lauren Adams | June 2011 | TAKS results Stanford results Final report cards | TAKS results Stanford results Final report cards |
| Meet with principal and present final results.
| Lauren Adams Principal, Amy Simson | June 2011 | TAKS results Stanford results Final report cards | TAKS results Stanford results Final report cards Final Tutorial Spreadsheets |
| Consider recommendations for 2011 – 2012 tutorial programs. | Lauren Adams Principal, Amy Simson | June 2011 | TAKS results Stanford results Final report cards | 2011 – 2012 Recommendations |
| Discuss action research findings with Lance Menster (Elementary Math Curriculum) | Lauren Adams, Amy Simson, Lance Menster | June 2011 | All crucial data (TAKS results, Stanford results, final grades, tutorial attendance) | Impact on SIP, SMART goals and teacher goals (IPDP) |
| Discuss action research findings with Beth Dow (School Improvement Officer) | Lauren Adams, Amy Simson, Beth Dow | June 2011 | TAKS results Stanford results Final report cards Final Tutorial Spreadsheets | Impact on SIP, SMART goals and teacher goals (IPDP) |
| Final results and recommendations presented to faculty in the Fall of 2011. | Lauren Adams | August 2011 | TAKS results Stanford results Final report cards | 2011 – 2012 Recommendations |
Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools
(Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)
Friday, March 11, 2011
Components of my action research
The components of my action research plan are as follows:
Description:
I will be performing my action research study at XYZ Elementary School, a campus with roughly 680 students, where I teach 3rd grade ESL self-contained. The study will be geared toward the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Math tutorial students and the teachers who instruct the after school tutorials.
Target Population:
My target population will be the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students who have been attending after school tutorials since October 2010. Currently, we have 24 third graders attending after school tutorials; 11 are males and 13 are females. There are 16 fourth graders attending after school tutorials; 10 are males and 6 are females. Finally, there are 41 fifth graders attending after school tutorials; 16 are males and 25 are females. I will also be working with the teachers who teach after school Math tutorials. There are a total of 7 teachers: 3 third grade teachers, 2 fourth grade teachers, and 2 fifth grade teachers. My hope is to impact the students’ achievement and growth and how the teachers prepare for tutorial instruction.
Sample:
My sample will involve all of our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students who attend our after school Math tutorial program. The total number of students receiving after school math tutorials are 81.
Rationale/Description:
XYZ teachers and students in the 3rd-5th grades have for the last 5 years be involved in an after school tutorials program for all tested core content areas (Reading, Math, Science and Writing). Mrs. Principal, our new administrator this school year, has poised the question a few times, how effective our after school tutorial program is and if our teachers our using the resources available to them to design quality effective lessons? It is of crucial importance that we answer this question so that we are using the teachers’ time, our students’ time, and our financial resources to the best of our ability. I have chosen to focus the action research project on our Math tutorials specifically, because this is our definite area of weakness on our campus. The data I will be using includes the District Math Common Assessments: Beginning of the Year, Middle of the Year and End of the Year, TAKS practice data, Sharon Wells 6 week benchmark assessments, Stanford Math, TAKS Math and Math grades (9 week grades and final grades). All the tutorial students and teachers will answer a survey and then the results will be compiled and analyzed. Afterwards, I meet with the grade level teachers to discuss the results of said survey. In the PLC meetings, we will also discuss who is progressing, who is not, and what the next steps happen to be. Without this study, we will continue to possibly waste money, time, and resources for the stakeholders involved.
Description:
I will be performing my action research study at XYZ Elementary School, a campus with roughly 680 students, where I teach 3rd grade ESL self-contained. The study will be geared toward the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Math tutorial students and the teachers who instruct the after school tutorials.
Target Population:
My target population will be the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students who have been attending after school tutorials since October 2010. Currently, we have 24 third graders attending after school tutorials; 11 are males and 13 are females. There are 16 fourth graders attending after school tutorials; 10 are males and 6 are females. Finally, there are 41 fifth graders attending after school tutorials; 16 are males and 25 are females. I will also be working with the teachers who teach after school Math tutorials. There are a total of 7 teachers: 3 third grade teachers, 2 fourth grade teachers, and 2 fifth grade teachers. My hope is to impact the students’ achievement and growth and how the teachers prepare for tutorial instruction.
Sample:
My sample will involve all of our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students who attend our after school Math tutorial program. The total number of students receiving after school math tutorials are 81.
Rationale/Description:
XYZ teachers and students in the 3rd-5th grades have for the last 5 years be involved in an after school tutorials program for all tested core content areas (Reading, Math, Science and Writing). Mrs. Principal, our new administrator this school year, has poised the question a few times, how effective our after school tutorial program is and if our teachers our using the resources available to them to design quality effective lessons? It is of crucial importance that we answer this question so that we are using the teachers’ time, our students’ time, and our financial resources to the best of our ability. I have chosen to focus the action research project on our Math tutorials specifically, because this is our definite area of weakness on our campus. The data I will be using includes the District Math Common Assessments: Beginning of the Year, Middle of the Year and End of the Year, TAKS practice data, Sharon Wells 6 week benchmark assessments, Stanford Math, TAKS Math and Math grades (9 week grades and final grades). All the tutorial students and teachers will answer a survey and then the results will be compiled and analyzed. Afterwards, I meet with the grade level teachers to discuss the results of said survey. In the PLC meetings, we will also discuss who is progressing, who is not, and what the next steps happen to be. Without this study, we will continue to possibly waste money, time, and resources for the stakeholders involved.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Action Research Lessons from Scholar Practitioners
This week I watched videos from three scholar practicioners. I learned how three different practicioners viewed action research and suggestions they had for conducting it as well. Below I have included the reflections from two of the videos.
Scholar 1: Dr. Timothy Chargois, Director of Research, Planning, and Development, Beaumont ISD
Dr. Chargois discussed an action research project Beaumont ISD is collaborating on with the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. The action research project focuses on the question “How can we teach our teachers to be data driven?” Beaumont ISD is focused on taking the data available to them and using it to impact instruction. He wants to see people in the district to be able to manipulate the data so that instruction is being changed because of what the data is telling them. Dr. Chargois believes that if they do just that, they will move closer to becoming a performance management group. “Performance management is about giving educators continuous access to the information and resources they need to respond to the unique needs of each student, thereby allowing them to guide their students to the college track sooner and more consistently.” ("Performance Management," n.d., para. 2) Dr. Chargois stressed the important idea that when doing action research we have to be able to answer, “yes” to the question “Is it going to increase student performance?” If not, it’s a waste of time.
Dr. Chargois said that teachers should never stop learning! He used the old adage “If you are green, then you are growing and if you are brown, you are dying.” Teachers leave college knowing the content of the area they are certified to teach and the pedagogy also. However, teachers are not taught in college how to use the data that will facilitate the instruction of their classroom. This is something that districts are spending millions of dollars teaching their teachers how to do. He also spoke about teachers being action research oriented. Teachers he said must know what research is and be able to use it in the classroom to impact student success.
After watching Dr. Chargois’ video, I began to think about my classroom. Am I really using the data the way Dr. Chargois explained? Could I use the data more constructively? What would that look like? I still am “brown” in this area where I should be “green”. Recently however, because the TAKS tests are lurking in the air, I have been looking at a lot of data from my class practice tests. The campus online format has really helped me be able to use the data to my classes’ advantage. It does the hard work for me. I don’t have to create an excel spreadsheet and track who missed which questions, I have it right in front of me with that data. Data can be intimidating but if you have the right training on how to use the data, it can actually be what “drives your instruction”.
Scholar 2: Dr. Kirk Lewis, Superintendent, Pasadena ISD
Dr. Lewis spoke about the research based grant Pasadena ISD “a data rich district” received from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant is funding a program that focuses on 9th grade students and setting them up for success when it comes to meeting graduation requirements. Within their research, Pasadena ISD is focusing on delivering instruction in the core curriculum areas that “beef up rigor and relevance”. One way they are doing this is by asking their administrators and teachers to look at the data and apply the data to their instructional strategies. He hopes that they will look at the data and with that find research that will help them bring in pieces that will influence student achievement.
Dr. Lewis explained that his opinion of the purpose of action research is you should ask yourself, “What is practical for me?” What is it you need to know to help it apply to student learning? Most importantly, the individual doing the research must believe in the research. If educators accept as true the research they are conducting, they will do three things. First, they will be interested in their research. Second, they will stay focused on the outcome of the research. And lastly, when doing research, educators must remember to make it practical and not theoretical or students will not benefit.
After watching Dr. Lewis’ video, I started thinking about my action research proposal and if it will be practical. I feel strongly that it will be. I feel that researching our after-school tutorials program will tell us with the budget crisis we are in as a district and campus, will paying teachers for after school tutorials be a smart budgetary item or loss? I also thought about the other two guidelines Dr. Lewis puts forth about making it practical. I am already interested in this action research project and I know I can stay focused on it. With TAKS being around the corner, the after school tutorials become so much more imperative for the “bubble” kids, the ones that are so close to passing or so close to making commended. I believe this will be a very practical and not theoretical action research project as Dr. Lewis suggested in his video.
References
Performance Management | Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. (n.d.).
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. Retrieved March 5, 2011, from http://www.msdf.org/Programs/Urban_Education/Performance_Management.aspx
Scholar 1: Dr. Timothy Chargois, Director of Research, Planning, and Development, Beaumont ISD
Dr. Chargois discussed an action research project Beaumont ISD is collaborating on with the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. The action research project focuses on the question “How can we teach our teachers to be data driven?” Beaumont ISD is focused on taking the data available to them and using it to impact instruction. He wants to see people in the district to be able to manipulate the data so that instruction is being changed because of what the data is telling them. Dr. Chargois believes that if they do just that, they will move closer to becoming a performance management group. “Performance management is about giving educators continuous access to the information and resources they need to respond to the unique needs of each student, thereby allowing them to guide their students to the college track sooner and more consistently.” ("Performance Management," n.d., para. 2) Dr. Chargois stressed the important idea that when doing action research we have to be able to answer, “yes” to the question “Is it going to increase student performance?” If not, it’s a waste of time.
Dr. Chargois said that teachers should never stop learning! He used the old adage “If you are green, then you are growing and if you are brown, you are dying.” Teachers leave college knowing the content of the area they are certified to teach and the pedagogy also. However, teachers are not taught in college how to use the data that will facilitate the instruction of their classroom. This is something that districts are spending millions of dollars teaching their teachers how to do. He also spoke about teachers being action research oriented. Teachers he said must know what research is and be able to use it in the classroom to impact student success.
After watching Dr. Chargois’ video, I began to think about my classroom. Am I really using the data the way Dr. Chargois explained? Could I use the data more constructively? What would that look like? I still am “brown” in this area where I should be “green”. Recently however, because the TAKS tests are lurking in the air, I have been looking at a lot of data from my class practice tests. The campus online format has really helped me be able to use the data to my classes’ advantage. It does the hard work for me. I don’t have to create an excel spreadsheet and track who missed which questions, I have it right in front of me with that data. Data can be intimidating but if you have the right training on how to use the data, it can actually be what “drives your instruction”.
Scholar 2: Dr. Kirk Lewis, Superintendent, Pasadena ISD
Dr. Lewis spoke about the research based grant Pasadena ISD “a data rich district” received from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant is funding a program that focuses on 9th grade students and setting them up for success when it comes to meeting graduation requirements. Within their research, Pasadena ISD is focusing on delivering instruction in the core curriculum areas that “beef up rigor and relevance”. One way they are doing this is by asking their administrators and teachers to look at the data and apply the data to their instructional strategies. He hopes that they will look at the data and with that find research that will help them bring in pieces that will influence student achievement.
Dr. Lewis explained that his opinion of the purpose of action research is you should ask yourself, “What is practical for me?” What is it you need to know to help it apply to student learning? Most importantly, the individual doing the research must believe in the research. If educators accept as true the research they are conducting, they will do three things. First, they will be interested in their research. Second, they will stay focused on the outcome of the research. And lastly, when doing research, educators must remember to make it practical and not theoretical or students will not benefit.
After watching Dr. Lewis’ video, I started thinking about my action research proposal and if it will be practical. I feel strongly that it will be. I feel that researching our after-school tutorials program will tell us with the budget crisis we are in as a district and campus, will paying teachers for after school tutorials be a smart budgetary item or loss? I also thought about the other two guidelines Dr. Lewis puts forth about making it practical. I am already interested in this action research project and I know I can stay focused on it. With TAKS being around the corner, the after school tutorials become so much more imperative for the “bubble” kids, the ones that are so close to passing or so close to making commended. I believe this will be a very practical and not theoretical action research project as Dr. Lewis suggested in his video.
References
Performance Management | Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. (n.d.).
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. Retrieved March 5, 2011, from http://www.msdf.org/Programs/Urban_Education/Performance_Management.aspx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)