Goals and objectives/outcomes of the research investigation:
To investigate how inquiry based learning will affect our student’s performance on standard’s based testing, district reading assessments, and student work.
To determine if inquiry based learning will have an effect on the level of engagement I child has in a classroom with these strategies compared to when not using these strategies.
To investigate whether our climate or culture will change based on the new style of inquiring about global things and expanding the horizons of our students.
Activities designed to achieve the objectives:
Participate in training on inquiry based instruction through the year in a Rice University Course partnered with Conoco Phillips called Science Module For Elementary Teachers.
Compile all the data of the school’s District Benchmark Assessments at the same period throughout the year with the previous years.
Compile all the data of the school’s Classroom Walk Through Assessments at the same time period throughout the year with the previous years.
Survey students and faculty at mid year and end of year to see how they feel about the school ex: bullying issues compared to last year, learning is more encouraging or interesting; feel of being supported by teachers, ease of talking to educators about problems.
Resources and research tools needed for data gathering
Administration and instructional coaches to help disaggregate and compare the data between this year and the previous year.
I will be calling on numerous staff members who will implementing the strategies in their classroom to make sure they are being do effectively and the data is adequate.
I will also be calling on my student’s and staff to help with the survey of the climate.
Koch, J. ( 2009 ). Science Stories:Science Methods for Elementary and Middle School Teachers. California: Wadsworth Publishing
Barell, J. (2008). Why Are School Buses Always Yellow?: Teaching for Inquiry, PreK-5. California: Corwin Press, Inc.
Draft timeline for completion or implementation of activities
The first round of data will be compared with previous years DBA data around September 20th. Will also compare beginning of the year DRA’s with previous years.
November 15, 2011- Compare second round of data to previous years through District Benchmarks. Also look at CTW data to see if engagement in classrooms is up.
February 3, 2011- Compare third and final round of District Benchmarks with previous years, also revisit CTW to see if engagement is continuing to increase.
April 2011- Compare first round of TAKS with previous year’s first round.
May 2011 Compare TAKS with previous years.
End of May 2011- Ask students in class and faculty to participate in survey to see if climate has changed for better.
June 2011- Meet with faculty to present the action research project through power point and to discuss how inquiry based learning has helped raise achievement and engagement in my classroom.
Persons responsible for implementation of the action research plan:
I talk full responsibility of implementing the action research in my classroom as well as collecting the data. I ask for the help of the instructional coaches and administrative team in comparing data and discussing data and where instruction should and could be improved.
Process for monitoring the achievement of goals and objectives:
I will monitor the achievement through the various points of data collection and comparison noted in the timeline. I will also continually touch base with staff at faculty meetings to state progress.
Assessment instrument(s) to evaluate the effectiveness of the action research study:
CTW’s, District Benchmark Assessments, Survey, State Mandated Testing,
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Week 2 Assignment Part 2
Like I said last week this could be a place to vent or cleansing process. I have been so frustrated with the week 2 assignment especially part 2. I don't know if I am on the right track or not. I have read and reread the passions, then thought and scratched out alot of wonderings for each passion. So here I am asking for some encouragement. I am going to post the free write I did on part 2. This is rough draft, please read and tell me if you think I am on the right path. If not please redirect me. Thanks to all how take the time to read and help, it is greatly appreciated!
With in the passion of staff development it is critical for a principal to think it terms of what they can do for their staff as a “head learner” as well as in any of the other 9 passions. I think it would be beneficial for the administrator to step back and wonder, In what ways can I facilitate a Professional Learning Community to help raise the level of diversity training on our campus? I really tried to find things that our school needs to focus on. In a staff wide conversation last year, it was brought to our attention that we might be as well trained in diversity as we think we are. There were many things that had been said to teachers by students and parents that were not mention till that point. I think it would benefit our school greatly to have groups of individuals working together on in inquiry research project to battle the need of diversity training.
Curriculum Development is the second passion, it is critical in any school to have a successful curriculum. Our school is currently undergoing a drastic change in the curriculum department. As a campus, we are engaging on a learning adventure of becoming a IB school. As we start this endeavor together, we will be making our own curriculum with the help of administrators and instructional coaches. I have though of two wonderings research based on our new endeavor, In what ways will the practices of inquiry based lessons affect student learning and In what ways will it affect student engagement? These are two areas that are always in focus for accountability the performance is usually based on the engagement and learning level of students. I think it would be worth while to figure out if the practice of inquiry based lessons, which the IB school is centered around, are going to affect us in a good way.
Not only do you have to have a good curriculum, but the curriculum alone does not teach the students. If you have an ineffective teacher no matter how well the curriculum it will not be enough for students to be successful. It is always important for an administrator to think of ways that they can change to help ineffective teachers. After the first year of ineffectiveness or poor evaluations, the teacher is put on a growth plan in our district. During the growth plan period, the principal and teacher put together a plan of action to help her improve. My wondering is How can a mentoring program be used to support teachers on a growth plan? There are mentoring programs set up for incoming teachers to be successful in the classroom, but it is not utilized for ineffective teachers in our district. I think that an ineffective teacher can be like a new teacher and just need some guidance. I plan of action may help some, but having someone to talk to and help you through the growth plan, could be beneficial to all. It has stated in our text over and over again that within the first five years of a teacher’s career half of them leave the field. Why not help to support those that need it in the first five years or after with a mentoring program?
Individual students are the greatest concern for any administrator it is the ultimate goal to have every learner be successful. In our district it is the saying “ 100% of students,100% of the time” that keeps us focused on that goal. Being a fifth grade teacher must students are labeled or have had interventions that were successful or unsuccessful throughout the years. What effects does the RTI process have on a student’s later performances, is a point of interest to me. I think it is important to continue to learn and grow, the RTI process is something that teachers still need to be growing and learning in. We never fully know everything we need to and there is always something new to learn about. I think it would be helpful to our students and future students to know the effects on student’s later performances.
This passion was one of the hardest for me to form a wondering in. The culture of a school is one of the most important aspects for learning and there is no how to that I have found yet to tell you how to make it a good one. In the past four years, I have worked under two different administrations with two different views. The culture of the school is very different and has changed in many ways under the new administration. However, there are always pros and cons to everything. At the beginning of last year we worked together as a staff to set up hallway, morning arrival, dismissal, cafeteria, playground, restroom, and assembly expectations. However, most did not enforce or hold their students to the expectations that were set forth by the staff themselves. My wondering is In what ways can I as an administrator help to create a culture of cooperation and agreement of expectations to be held for the year? I think it is valuable for the school and all the stakeholders to have clear expectations for every grade level and classroom throughout the building in common areas.
The passion of Leadership is a great place to always inquire. Being able to study and learn about you as a leader is always pertinent to the success of your school. It is a valuable tool to be able to look at your faults and find a way to fix them. As a leader you will not be able to fix or changes peoples thinking or ways of doing things in a school, but leading by example and inquiring into your own faults is a great way to start. How do I create an environment that promotes success? That is my statement of wondering. In order for a school to be successful it must first have a great environment, but in order to know if that is happening you must look into your self and see what is your doing or not doing that promotes or demotes that success. Looking at these success and/or faults will help you as leader to improve and show others in your school that sometimes a change is all that is needed for success. Empowering others by your actions, not your words!
How can we all work together to make dismissal a pleasant and flowing system for everyone? This has been a problem at our campus for as long as I can remember. First, we started with all bus riders in the cafeteria. This was horrendous! Every student was battling with the others to be heard and often things would get thrown across the cafeteria. Not only were the students out of control, but what lead to that problem was that teachers were not coming for their duty. At times, there would be 400-500 students and three teachers. Not a good way to start dismissal. Then we switched to students would be dismissed from the classroom. Students were often getting left behind because they were playing and stopping in the hallways without the much needed supervision. Within the last year we housed bus riders in a room, car riders with another teacher in a different room, and lastly walkers with a final teacher in a room. This was rotated between the teachers each nine weeks. However, the bus teacher was often left with the most students while the other teachers would not return to help. Then the teachers would not return to help hated the bus duty and constantly complained of no help. A vicious cycle that would continue every nine weeks. It was not pleasant and hasn’t been yet. I am hoping that this inquiry could help straighten out this area of need at a exciting time of the day.
School performance always rest on the shoulders of the principal. It is a point that is on your mind every day of the week and every week of the year. It is what can make or break you as a principal and as a school. Data driven instruction is some thing that should be implemented in every school. However, up until last year the teachers at our campus had no idea how to use the data. Slowly but surely we are beginning to understand the importance of data driven instruction. As a principal, a good wondering for a school like ours who has never used data correctly would be, In what ways can I encourage and help staff to use their data to drive their instruction? It is important to know where to start and how to help a staff that is not use to this form of instruction and interpretation of the data. Going back to the principal being the leader that need to focus on themselves leading others not them trying to change the others ways. It has to be the teacher’ choice, first.
The last passion is social injustice and is where I plan on spending the majority of this class focusing. In our discussion boards last week I talked about how our campus had a article from my Lamar class that sparked a long discussion during an after school faculty meeting. In the meeting it can to our attention that student felt that our Fifth Grade Manner’s banquet was more of a punishment where they had to dress and eat like white people for a day. This is time meant to teach the students how to eat and talk at a formal dinner while being polite, something we hope that they can do successfully during sport or other activity banquets later on. Other teachers also stated that they had former students come back to them that were ethnically the same, where their new teachers were not and shared that they could not talk to their new teachers because of this. What a BIG problem, we face as a school. If our own students can not confided in us because of the difference in ethnicity, what can really teach them? My statement of wondering which will drive my action research project per consensus from my site supervisor is, In what ways can our campus become a more culturally diverse campus?
Like I said it is long and just a free write, thanks to anyone who is patient enough to read and give me feedback.
With in the passion of staff development it is critical for a principal to think it terms of what they can do for their staff as a “head learner” as well as in any of the other 9 passions. I think it would be beneficial for the administrator to step back and wonder, In what ways can I facilitate a Professional Learning Community to help raise the level of diversity training on our campus? I really tried to find things that our school needs to focus on. In a staff wide conversation last year, it was brought to our attention that we might be as well trained in diversity as we think we are. There were many things that had been said to teachers by students and parents that were not mention till that point. I think it would benefit our school greatly to have groups of individuals working together on in inquiry research project to battle the need of diversity training.
Curriculum Development is the second passion, it is critical in any school to have a successful curriculum. Our school is currently undergoing a drastic change in the curriculum department. As a campus, we are engaging on a learning adventure of becoming a IB school. As we start this endeavor together, we will be making our own curriculum with the help of administrators and instructional coaches. I have though of two wonderings research based on our new endeavor, In what ways will the practices of inquiry based lessons affect student learning and In what ways will it affect student engagement? These are two areas that are always in focus for accountability the performance is usually based on the engagement and learning level of students. I think it would be worth while to figure out if the practice of inquiry based lessons, which the IB school is centered around, are going to affect us in a good way.
Not only do you have to have a good curriculum, but the curriculum alone does not teach the students. If you have an ineffective teacher no matter how well the curriculum it will not be enough for students to be successful. It is always important for an administrator to think of ways that they can change to help ineffective teachers. After the first year of ineffectiveness or poor evaluations, the teacher is put on a growth plan in our district. During the growth plan period, the principal and teacher put together a plan of action to help her improve. My wondering is How can a mentoring program be used to support teachers on a growth plan? There are mentoring programs set up for incoming teachers to be successful in the classroom, but it is not utilized for ineffective teachers in our district. I think that an ineffective teacher can be like a new teacher and just need some guidance. I plan of action may help some, but having someone to talk to and help you through the growth plan, could be beneficial to all. It has stated in our text over and over again that within the first five years of a teacher’s career half of them leave the field. Why not help to support those that need it in the first five years or after with a mentoring program?
Individual students are the greatest concern for any administrator it is the ultimate goal to have every learner be successful. In our district it is the saying “ 100% of students,100% of the time” that keeps us focused on that goal. Being a fifth grade teacher must students are labeled or have had interventions that were successful or unsuccessful throughout the years. What effects does the RTI process have on a student’s later performances, is a point of interest to me. I think it is important to continue to learn and grow, the RTI process is something that teachers still need to be growing and learning in. We never fully know everything we need to and there is always something new to learn about. I think it would be helpful to our students and future students to know the effects on student’s later performances.
This passion was one of the hardest for me to form a wondering in. The culture of a school is one of the most important aspects for learning and there is no how to that I have found yet to tell you how to make it a good one. In the past four years, I have worked under two different administrations with two different views. The culture of the school is very different and has changed in many ways under the new administration. However, there are always pros and cons to everything. At the beginning of last year we worked together as a staff to set up hallway, morning arrival, dismissal, cafeteria, playground, restroom, and assembly expectations. However, most did not enforce or hold their students to the expectations that were set forth by the staff themselves. My wondering is In what ways can I as an administrator help to create a culture of cooperation and agreement of expectations to be held for the year? I think it is valuable for the school and all the stakeholders to have clear expectations for every grade level and classroom throughout the building in common areas.
The passion of Leadership is a great place to always inquire. Being able to study and learn about you as a leader is always pertinent to the success of your school. It is a valuable tool to be able to look at your faults and find a way to fix them. As a leader you will not be able to fix or changes peoples thinking or ways of doing things in a school, but leading by example and inquiring into your own faults is a great way to start. How do I create an environment that promotes success? That is my statement of wondering. In order for a school to be successful it must first have a great environment, but in order to know if that is happening you must look into your self and see what is your doing or not doing that promotes or demotes that success. Looking at these success and/or faults will help you as leader to improve and show others in your school that sometimes a change is all that is needed for success. Empowering others by your actions, not your words!
How can we all work together to make dismissal a pleasant and flowing system for everyone? This has been a problem at our campus for as long as I can remember. First, we started with all bus riders in the cafeteria. This was horrendous! Every student was battling with the others to be heard and often things would get thrown across the cafeteria. Not only were the students out of control, but what lead to that problem was that teachers were not coming for their duty. At times, there would be 400-500 students and three teachers. Not a good way to start dismissal. Then we switched to students would be dismissed from the classroom. Students were often getting left behind because they were playing and stopping in the hallways without the much needed supervision. Within the last year we housed bus riders in a room, car riders with another teacher in a different room, and lastly walkers with a final teacher in a room. This was rotated between the teachers each nine weeks. However, the bus teacher was often left with the most students while the other teachers would not return to help. Then the teachers would not return to help hated the bus duty and constantly complained of no help. A vicious cycle that would continue every nine weeks. It was not pleasant and hasn’t been yet. I am hoping that this inquiry could help straighten out this area of need at a exciting time of the day.
School performance always rest on the shoulders of the principal. It is a point that is on your mind every day of the week and every week of the year. It is what can make or break you as a principal and as a school. Data driven instruction is some thing that should be implemented in every school. However, up until last year the teachers at our campus had no idea how to use the data. Slowly but surely we are beginning to understand the importance of data driven instruction. As a principal, a good wondering for a school like ours who has never used data correctly would be, In what ways can I encourage and help staff to use their data to drive their instruction? It is important to know where to start and how to help a staff that is not use to this form of instruction and interpretation of the data. Going back to the principal being the leader that need to focus on themselves leading others not them trying to change the others ways. It has to be the teacher’ choice, first.
The last passion is social injustice and is where I plan on spending the majority of this class focusing. In our discussion boards last week I talked about how our campus had a article from my Lamar class that sparked a long discussion during an after school faculty meeting. In the meeting it can to our attention that student felt that our Fifth Grade Manner’s banquet was more of a punishment where they had to dress and eat like white people for a day. This is time meant to teach the students how to eat and talk at a formal dinner while being polite, something we hope that they can do successfully during sport or other activity banquets later on. Other teachers also stated that they had former students come back to them that were ethnically the same, where their new teachers were not and shared that they could not talk to their new teachers because of this. What a BIG problem, we face as a school. If our own students can not confided in us because of the difference in ethnicity, what can really teach them? My statement of wondering which will drive my action research project per consensus from my site supervisor is, In what ways can our campus become a more culturally diverse campus?
Like I said it is long and just a free write, thanks to anyone who is patient enough to read and give me feedback.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Week 2
All in all this started out as a rough week. I didn't know if I was going in the right direction after reading and rereading the nine passions from the Dana text. Blogging about my thoughts on the nine passions really helped and I found that my other peers were very supportive. I loved being able to discuss with my principal what we think is best for the school. Not only did she take in account what I thought was important to me, but she also shared how she thought our school would benefit. I am finding that I am loving this class more and more. I can't wait to form the PLC that my principal and I talked about and get started on making our school more diversified.
The passion I ended up choosing had to do with social justice, but my subtopics always lead toward staff development. My principal reassured me that thinking about students first and having the staff develop themselves professional was the way to go. I hope all of you are enjoying this like I am!
The passion I ended up choosing had to do with social justice, but my subtopics always lead toward staff development. My principal reassured me that thinking about students first and having the staff develop themselves professional was the way to go. I hope all of you are enjoying this like I am!
Monday, July 12, 2010
How Educators Might use Blogs?
Blogging is a cleansing experience whether it is professional or just a hobby. It is a space to write about your feelings, what you have learned, and a place to reflect on your day. I think that it is also a supportive process, as you are reflecting on your day or writing your feelings, others are reading it and contributing. In the blogging community no one is negative with feedback, so you feel supported in your work. Others will be able to direct you in a new direction on bad day or lift your spirits and then on good days they are right behind you cheering you on. As a professional community it definitely lends to a stronger and constructive environment.
What is the Action Research Process?
Action Researching seems to be a way for principals to inquire into a question that is plaguing them. This maybe a way to enhance test scores or a way to change the culture or climate in their school. In the text it refers to inquiry being a powerful vehicle for learning and school improvement. Every educator must first be a learner themselves. Most commonally we go to professional developments, sit, listen, and take away a new tool. With the process of action researching every educator participating is learning and developing themselves as a professional. Instead of only learning something new, we are looking at what is broken and finding new ways to fix it.
I am excited about my topic that I have choosen. I think it is highly debatable and will have lots of good literature to sport an answer. It ties in nicely with all the things that have been taught to us in older classes and I am excited to see when the new school year unfolds if it will be as benefical as I think it will.
My question of wondering: Does the diversity training level of teachers affect their students level of performance on state mandated testing?
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