Friday, August 6, 2010
Viewing Comments
As I have not received comments on my blog at this time I will be addressing comments that were shared either on the discussion board or Action Research Connections. I appreciate the positive comments that have been posted and I am working to consider the opinions that have been shared. I especially appreciate the specific comments about the RTI process and how it will be implemented and monitored. At this time I do not foresee any major changes to my plan just some tweaking or steps to consider along the way.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Action Research Plan
Setting the Foundation:
Increasing elementary student performance in math is a district and individual school objective. Meeting with my school principal we debated several concerns but came to the decision to focus on the manner and setting in which struggling students receive math assistance. The school has implemented the use of a math coach that works with identified students in the regular classroom as opposed to the pull out system that many other district schools are using at this time. It seems appropriate to analyze whether or not this is an effective program for the students by collecting student performance data.
Analyzing the Data:
District assessments are administered throughout the school year in an effort to benchmark student performance. They include benchmarks and the following: Beginning of the Year, Middle of the Year, Released TAKS, End of the Year, and actual TAKS. These assessments will be analyzed to monitor student improvement. Data will also be gathered through journaling and student artifacts. Student work will be collected for comparison. Teachers and students will journal throughout the process.
Developing Deeper Understanding:
Interviews will be conducted with teachers and students throughout the process. Student performance and classroom grades will also be analyzed. Parent surveys will be completed at the beginning and the end of the process.
Self-Reflection:
What other forms of assessment would be beneficial?
How can students’ have the opportunity to personalize the learning?
What will the teachers need from the math coach?
Are there times that students should be pulled out of class to work either in small group or individually?
How will students be assisted in the classroom without disrupting the learning of other students.
Determining Direction:
What effect does working with a math coach have on the math achievement of 5th grade students in the regular education classroom at Birdville Elementary?
This question will guide the research and data collection in order to determine if there is a positive effect of the math coach working with students in the classroom.
Action Steps:
1.Administer Beginning of the Year (BOY) Assessment to all 5th grade students.
2.Identify students that need to be Tier 2 or 3 according to state and district RTI guidelines.
3.Select students from the 5th grade general population for random sample to be used in comparison.
4.Work with identified students in small groups within the classroom setting.
5.Administer district benchmark assessments (Middle of the Year (MOY) assessment/ Released TAKS test) according to the district schedule.
6.Administer End of Year (EOY) assessment and/or 2011 TAKS test to determine end of the year performance.
7.Compare results from assessments that were administered throughout the school year noting any increases and/or decreases. Compare the identified group to the sample group.
8.Develop conclusions after analyzing data to evaluate the success of the program.
9.Share results and conclusions with stakeholders and other invested parties.
10.Consider revisions to improve or enhance the program for the next year.
Future Considerations:
Upon completion of the action steps the analysis will help in decisions on changes that will be needed for the program. The timeline will be adjusted according to findings so that it can be utilized again the following year.
Increasing elementary student performance in math is a district and individual school objective. Meeting with my school principal we debated several concerns but came to the decision to focus on the manner and setting in which struggling students receive math assistance. The school has implemented the use of a math coach that works with identified students in the regular classroom as opposed to the pull out system that many other district schools are using at this time. It seems appropriate to analyze whether or not this is an effective program for the students by collecting student performance data.
Analyzing the Data:
District assessments are administered throughout the school year in an effort to benchmark student performance. They include benchmarks and the following: Beginning of the Year, Middle of the Year, Released TAKS, End of the Year, and actual TAKS. These assessments will be analyzed to monitor student improvement. Data will also be gathered through journaling and student artifacts. Student work will be collected for comparison. Teachers and students will journal throughout the process.
Developing Deeper Understanding:
Interviews will be conducted with teachers and students throughout the process. Student performance and classroom grades will also be analyzed. Parent surveys will be completed at the beginning and the end of the process.
Self-Reflection:
What other forms of assessment would be beneficial?
How can students’ have the opportunity to personalize the learning?
What will the teachers need from the math coach?
Are there times that students should be pulled out of class to work either in small group or individually?
How will students be assisted in the classroom without disrupting the learning of other students.
Determining Direction:
What effect does working with a math coach have on the math achievement of 5th grade students in the regular education classroom at Birdville Elementary?
This question will guide the research and data collection in order to determine if there is a positive effect of the math coach working with students in the classroom.
Action Steps:
1.Administer Beginning of the Year (BOY) Assessment to all 5th grade students.
2.Identify students that need to be Tier 2 or 3 according to state and district RTI guidelines.
3.Select students from the 5th grade general population for random sample to be used in comparison.
4.Work with identified students in small groups within the classroom setting.
5.Administer district benchmark assessments (Middle of the Year (MOY) assessment/ Released TAKS test) according to the district schedule.
6.Administer End of Year (EOY) assessment and/or 2011 TAKS test to determine end of the year performance.
7.Compare results from assessments that were administered throughout the school year noting any increases and/or decreases. Compare the identified group to the sample group.
8.Develop conclusions after analyzing data to evaluate the success of the program.
9.Share results and conclusions with stakeholders and other invested parties.
10.Consider revisions to improve or enhance the program for the next year.
Future Considerations:
Upon completion of the action steps the analysis will help in decisions on changes that will be needed for the program. The timeline will be adjusted according to findings so that it can be utilized again the following year.
Action Research Topic
What effect does working with a math coach have on the math achievement of 5th grade students in the regular education classroom at Birdville Elementary?
The setting will be the 5th grade regular education math classroom. This wondering is significant in consideration of the effective use of support personnel in the elementary school. It will also consider the effectiveness of the support staff working with students in the classroom in order to avoid pulling students out to another room. The target population will be the 5th grade students that have been identified as a Tier 2 or Tier 3 in math through the RTI leveling process. The comparison groups will be 10-15 5th grade students randomly chosen from the general population. The number of students correlates with the number of identified students the work with the math coach. Choosing the comparison sample randomly helps to keep the study group representative of the whole grade level. The research will be conducted throughout the 2010-2011 school year using various forms of data collection and comparison processes. The data will be collected and compared through both formative and summative assessments including benchmarks, pre/post testing, journaling, artifacts and student work. In summation, the goal of the action research is to consider the effective use of a math coach as support personnel in the classroom.
The setting will be the 5th grade regular education math classroom. This wondering is significant in consideration of the effective use of support personnel in the elementary school. It will also consider the effectiveness of the support staff working with students in the classroom in order to avoid pulling students out to another room. The target population will be the 5th grade students that have been identified as a Tier 2 or Tier 3 in math through the RTI leveling process. The comparison groups will be 10-15 5th grade students randomly chosen from the general population. The number of students correlates with the number of identified students the work with the math coach. Choosing the comparison sample randomly helps to keep the study group representative of the whole grade level. The research will be conducted throughout the 2010-2011 school year using various forms of data collection and comparison processes. The data will be collected and compared through both formative and summative assessments including benchmarks, pre/post testing, journaling, artifacts and student work. In summation, the goal of the action research is to consider the effective use of a math coach as support personnel in the classroom.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Real Life Research Action Examples
This week I found the reading from the the Dana text to be very interesting. (Dana, N. F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: the principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.) I think that her reference to the 9 passions or wonderings is right on track. They got me to thinking about my own passions and wonderings. I am struggling somewhat to bring clarity to my query for my action research topic. Math is my passion and the focus of my job so that is an easy choice but the specific question still alludes me. One of my thoughts falls in the area of staff development which is another passion of mine as I enjoy presenting training sessions. The other two could be part of either individual students or school performance. My current change of job and school has left me without an opportunity to speak with my supervisor at this time. I look forward to meeting with him soon and discussing my queries with him. I am confident that he will help me to narrow down my choice as we discuss the needs of the school.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Blogs: How might they be used by educational leaders?
Blogs can be an effective tool for leaders because they open up the lines of communication between stakeholders. It is a way for everyone to have input without actually having to be in the same place at the same time. You can comment on a blog when it is convenient for your schedule. It also can be less threatening since it is not face-to-face. These are all good reasons for an educational leader to use a blog as a form of communication. Specifically a blog could be used to present an a strategy or idea and receive feedback. This would be appropriate for both staff members and parents to contribute. I also could see a leader using it to survey students about a particular topic. Students seem to be far more likely to contribute in this type of format. As the administrator of the blog you can edit out inappropriate comments but maintain an interaction between comments. Due to the ability to access a blog at everyone's own convenience they can be a great way to expand communication.
Action Research Summary
As I have begun reading the textbooks for EDLD 5301 I am learning in greater detail what Action Research is actually all about. The first thing that comes to mind is that I have been part of action research in various forms though I would not have given it that title. Our district has a policy of using this process when making changes or investigating the possible need for change. We are encouraged to use strategies that are research based. The thing I am coming to realize is that we use a combination of looking at traditional research and action research as we make those changes. I believe that this will help me as I progress through this class and learn how to use action research appropriately and effectively. It is important to investigate the research that has been completed by experts on a subject but to make it work for your situation you need to actually put that information to work. This means creating specific action steps that are appropriate for your situation and then evaluating their effectiveness before moving on with and/or adjusting the plan.
I think that at first I will find action research to be the most useful in the process of utilizing Professional Learning Communities. These learning communities create opportunities for collaboration among peers and lend themselves to the action research process. The PLC will meet with a common need in mind. For instance, the Math Goal Team will analyze student performance to find areas in need of improvement. When the team decides on a specific need they will work within the action research process to investigate strategies and processes that will enhance student performance. They will develop steps that will be implemented by the campus. It will then be important for them to meet and evaluate the implementation and results of those steps on a regularly scheduled basis. At that time the team will make decisions on whether or not to continue on the present course or to make adjustments. It is my belief that I could successfully mesh action research with professional learning communities to enhance school success.
I think that at first I will find action research to be the most useful in the process of utilizing Professional Learning Communities. These learning communities create opportunities for collaboration among peers and lend themselves to the action research process. The PLC will meet with a common need in mind. For instance, the Math Goal Team will analyze student performance to find areas in need of improvement. When the team decides on a specific need they will work within the action research process to investigate strategies and processes that will enhance student performance. They will develop steps that will be implemented by the campus. It will then be important for them to meet and evaluate the implementation and results of those steps on a regularly scheduled basis. At that time the team will make decisions on whether or not to continue on the present course or to make adjustments. It is my belief that I could successfully mesh action research with professional learning communities to enhance school success.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Week 5: Course Reflection
When I began the course I was unsure what to expect but the title “The Technology Link” made me think that I would be learning ways to connect technology and learning in the classroom. I was looking forward to finding new and better ways of integrating technology. I must admit I was not thinking about applying this use as an administrative leader. As this is only my second class I am still becoming adjusted to thinking as an administrative leader instead of a classroom teacher. This class helped me to move forward in that area. As I took the self-evaluation at the beginning of the class I knew that I had a lot to learn about administrating technology in the school. I hoped that the course would help me to become better informed and better prepared to lead others in technology integration. I believe that I have begun to achieve that outcome. Some of the outcomes set forth by the course were related to the leadership I envisioned but many of the detailed knowledge expectations were not aligned with my own expectations.
The course outcomes included learning about the state technology plan and technology standards, assessing the status of a campus, and analyzing and facilitating technology integration on a campus. In these areas I have gained a great deal of knowledge that directly affects my ability to be a technology leader. My knowledge of the STaR chart and the Texas Long Range Plan, for example, is relevant to the work in my school because as an instructional leader I must be informed and knowledgeable of the state expectations. This knowledge leads me to expect more of myself and to intentionally model technology integration in my school. The use of e-communication in the course was a great way to find out how other schools and districts are dealing with common technology challenges and achievements. Any information gained in this way will be an asset to my learning and my future in leadership. The information is relevant because it is up-to-date and addresses the technological advances of our world.
An area that I feel that I did not achieve the intended outcome is in curriculum planning. The course outline suggests that a learning outcome is to design and implement strategic planning to enhance teaching and learning, including curriculum alignment and assessment. While these areas were addressed I do not feel that I personally obtained enough knowledge to facilitate this on my campus. I didn’t feel that the course delved deeply into the specifics of curriculum planning as much as it did into the state expectations and how to evaluate the campus needs and progress. I believe this is the case because there is simply no way for a five week course to cover all these areas comprehensively. However, I do feel that the focus of this course is correctly placed. As an instructional leader you will have curriculum specialists that will assist in that area. Knowing the expectation and plans of the district and state are imperative in the evaluation of a school.
The course readings were very informative and the discussion assignments were a good way to share information. In fact this was my favorite part of the course. After the initial confusion in posting the quotes the expectations became clear and I learned a great deal from the posting of my classmates. While I do feel that I was successful in completing the assignments I did experience some frustration about needing more information. I wanted to know a little more about what the outcome should look like. I understand that this is part of my learning style and in absence of an example I often debate about what is correct. I also understand that it is good for me to have to work in this manner as it stretches me to consider many possibilities. I find it difficult to more onto the next assignment while I am unsure if I have completed the previous one as was expected. It is a relief each time a grade is posted as I am able to see if I am on the right track.
Through this course I learned that, as stated above, I really prefer to have an example to follow. Of course it is also important to realize that an example won’t always be available and I need to be confident and do my best. I recognize my personality and learning style and I have to work outside of my comfort zone. Fortunately technology is something that I am comfortable with. As I read the articles I realized that I have quite a bit of basic techie knowledge which I must attribute to the fact that my husband is an information systems manager. Due to this technology is a great part of our lives and he keeps me informed of the newest trends. This helps me to have an open attitude toward technology and as a leader that is important because new ideas and possibilities present themselves on a regular basis. I learned that while I regularly use technology in my classroom I need to work to incorporate more activities that allow the students to use the technology individually.
Blogging is a valuable way to give people an opportunity to share their knowledge or opinions without having everyone present in the same room. Posts can be made at times that are convenient for everyone and the restraints of a meeting are removed. My principal and I are currently working on a grading committee in the district. The committee is using Edmodo to facilitate discussions outside of the meetings. My principal has created a blog to allow campus staff members to share their opinions with us. This removes the need to meet as a group and everyone is able to read the information and contribute at their own convenience. I also think that blogs can be a valuable teaching tool because they allow students to express their opinions or ask questions that they may feel unsure of presenting in front of their classmates. I found many suggestions for blogs in the discussion board that could be used to enhance the current learning. Blogs can also give parents an opportunity to interact with each other and staff members.
As is often the case when we are dealing with the internet and anything that is posted online privacy, security and control are issues that must be addressed, especially when we are working with children. Our district has moved to a new webpage system this year and it has controls that help in these areas. I am able to set up my pages and blogs with parameters that only allowed those with passwords to view the material. Pages can be set that allow only parents or only students to log in. The grading committee blog mentioned above is on the principal’s page and is only available to teachers from our school. This is a way to protect information and deal with security issues. Another concern is when inappropriate comments are being posted to a blog that is open to students. The blog administrator must monitor the postings and remove anything that is questionable. We must also teach our students to report this type of behavior so that it can be dealt with in a timely manner. Teaching students to recognize what is inappropriate is important and will help them to understand what is acceptable in their own blogging behavior.
As mentioned above parameters can be set that limit the audience of a blog. This allows the blog administrator to remain in control of what is viewed. To provide information and availability to all stakeholders I believe that you must first identify who will, or should, be involved. Once that has been established then those members will need to set up passwords that allow controlled access. This is available to teachers, students, and parents. When a blog is available to the public it is important to remember that while that will ensure that all stakeholders have availability it also creates an even greater need for security. Caution must be taken in what is posted to ensure the safety of all. It would be an interesting use of a blog to have teacher post daily or weekly to keep stakeholders informed of what is happening in the classroom. The administrators could also maintain such a connection that allows everyone to stay up-to-date about happenings at the school and in the classrooms.
The course outcomes included learning about the state technology plan and technology standards, assessing the status of a campus, and analyzing and facilitating technology integration on a campus. In these areas I have gained a great deal of knowledge that directly affects my ability to be a technology leader. My knowledge of the STaR chart and the Texas Long Range Plan, for example, is relevant to the work in my school because as an instructional leader I must be informed and knowledgeable of the state expectations. This knowledge leads me to expect more of myself and to intentionally model technology integration in my school. The use of e-communication in the course was a great way to find out how other schools and districts are dealing with common technology challenges and achievements. Any information gained in this way will be an asset to my learning and my future in leadership. The information is relevant because it is up-to-date and addresses the technological advances of our world.
An area that I feel that I did not achieve the intended outcome is in curriculum planning. The course outline suggests that a learning outcome is to design and implement strategic planning to enhance teaching and learning, including curriculum alignment and assessment. While these areas were addressed I do not feel that I personally obtained enough knowledge to facilitate this on my campus. I didn’t feel that the course delved deeply into the specifics of curriculum planning as much as it did into the state expectations and how to evaluate the campus needs and progress. I believe this is the case because there is simply no way for a five week course to cover all these areas comprehensively. However, I do feel that the focus of this course is correctly placed. As an instructional leader you will have curriculum specialists that will assist in that area. Knowing the expectation and plans of the district and state are imperative in the evaluation of a school.
The course readings were very informative and the discussion assignments were a good way to share information. In fact this was my favorite part of the course. After the initial confusion in posting the quotes the expectations became clear and I learned a great deal from the posting of my classmates. While I do feel that I was successful in completing the assignments I did experience some frustration about needing more information. I wanted to know a little more about what the outcome should look like. I understand that this is part of my learning style and in absence of an example I often debate about what is correct. I also understand that it is good for me to have to work in this manner as it stretches me to consider many possibilities. I find it difficult to more onto the next assignment while I am unsure if I have completed the previous one as was expected. It is a relief each time a grade is posted as I am able to see if I am on the right track.
Through this course I learned that, as stated above, I really prefer to have an example to follow. Of course it is also important to realize that an example won’t always be available and I need to be confident and do my best. I recognize my personality and learning style and I have to work outside of my comfort zone. Fortunately technology is something that I am comfortable with. As I read the articles I realized that I have quite a bit of basic techie knowledge which I must attribute to the fact that my husband is an information systems manager. Due to this technology is a great part of our lives and he keeps me informed of the newest trends. This helps me to have an open attitude toward technology and as a leader that is important because new ideas and possibilities present themselves on a regular basis. I learned that while I regularly use technology in my classroom I need to work to incorporate more activities that allow the students to use the technology individually.
Blogging is a valuable way to give people an opportunity to share their knowledge or opinions without having everyone present in the same room. Posts can be made at times that are convenient for everyone and the restraints of a meeting are removed. My principal and I are currently working on a grading committee in the district. The committee is using Edmodo to facilitate discussions outside of the meetings. My principal has created a blog to allow campus staff members to share their opinions with us. This removes the need to meet as a group and everyone is able to read the information and contribute at their own convenience. I also think that blogs can be a valuable teaching tool because they allow students to express their opinions or ask questions that they may feel unsure of presenting in front of their classmates. I found many suggestions for blogs in the discussion board that could be used to enhance the current learning. Blogs can also give parents an opportunity to interact with each other and staff members.
As is often the case when we are dealing with the internet and anything that is posted online privacy, security and control are issues that must be addressed, especially when we are working with children. Our district has moved to a new webpage system this year and it has controls that help in these areas. I am able to set up my pages and blogs with parameters that only allowed those with passwords to view the material. Pages can be set that allow only parents or only students to log in. The grading committee blog mentioned above is on the principal’s page and is only available to teachers from our school. This is a way to protect information and deal with security issues. Another concern is when inappropriate comments are being posted to a blog that is open to students. The blog administrator must monitor the postings and remove anything that is questionable. We must also teach our students to report this type of behavior so that it can be dealt with in a timely manner. Teaching students to recognize what is inappropriate is important and will help them to understand what is acceptable in their own blogging behavior.
As mentioned above parameters can be set that limit the audience of a blog. This allows the blog administrator to remain in control of what is viewed. To provide information and availability to all stakeholders I believe that you must first identify who will, or should, be involved. Once that has been established then those members will need to set up passwords that allow controlled access. This is available to teachers, students, and parents. When a blog is available to the public it is important to remember that while that will ensure that all stakeholders have availability it also creates an even greater need for security. Caution must be taken in what is posted to ensure the safety of all. It would be an interesting use of a blog to have teacher post daily or weekly to keep stakeholders informed of what is happening in the classroom. The administrators could also maintain such a connection that allows everyone to stay up-to-date about happenings at the school and in the classrooms.
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