Reflection

Through this course I have thought more and more about the work I do on a daily basis and the ways in which I can improve, not only my professional development, but my entire school as well. I think this course has allowed me to look at ways that I can really make a difference through meaningful reflection and action. I have begun to really develop a sense of self awareness with regard to my future as a teacher and possibly an administrator as well.

It was very interesting to read about the process in which one realizes a “wondering” and then is able to follow through with a plan of action through relevant research. I liked knowing that something of concern could prove to be areas that I could work on to improve my school and myself.

The videos we were to watch in week three were really insightful because it was REAL. It was nice to hear about the different aspects of running an academic atmosphere and really striving for student success. I think the interview with the superintendent as he spoke about working FOR THE KIDS and not losing sight of what we do and why we work so hard was really important to hear. It made me really think about my professional attitude towards my daily procedures and routines. I think I have a lot of work to do to really make sure I do everything I can for the students I lead.

I also enjoyed looking through the text with regard to sharing the findings. I cannot tell you how important it is to relay important information to those who can really use it to ensure that they improve the likelihood for student success. Raising the bar within a school is done through collaboration and solid communication. I think learning something through meaningful research can really do well within the academic world. Keeping information to oneself is the old, traditional way of thinking. Sharing through collaboration either through PLC or faculty meetings are the key to growth. I think the techniques suggested by the book allow for communication in a way that presents information in a non-threatening sort of way.

Overall this course has allowed me to see that each day is an opportunity to grow. I can work towards improving each day through action research and thoughtful wonderings. It will be a long road to administrative duties but I think the path could lead to major growth both professionally AND personally. It has taught me to be present in each moment and allow for thoughtful reflection. That is a great skill to tap into. The ability to REALLY grow towards goals and not just go through the motions is priceless.

Concerns

Aside from leaving a textbook on a plane, working 2 jobs, coaching tennis and trying to get all of my work done...this week was great! I think I have a good grip on the project and will have my first "researched" PLC tomorrow. I think I have a good idea of what the focus will be and how to go about getting the results in a more effective manner. I love the idea that the research project could help my school and my students!

So far the challenges have been in actually MEASURING the student success. That is something I would like to measure with data but the fact that each test is different and each teacher has a different level of student, it will be nearly impossible to MEASURE the growth. When I met with my principal to address the concerns I was having he simply said to look at the growth over time. He said, knowing the kids level of ability and past performances, will help when looking for improvements over time.

I am having to really dig deep to ask my peers for help. It's intimidating to have to ask my fellow teachers to do interviews and allow for me to observe their meetings. I sometimes feel uncomfortable, not because of anything they do, but because I don't ever want to waste their time. I have already emailed a few colleagues and they have been wonderfully accomodating and friendly with regard to my requests. I'm lucky in that respect!

The PLAN...

The goals of this action research project will be to improve upon the PLC meetings with regard to the use of disaggregated data analysis to improve student achievement. Through collaboration during PLC meetings, the issue of common assessment data analysis will be addressed and defined as an area of concern. The use of data should be to improve student learning and achievement through strategically enhanced lesson planning. By looking at the weak or inefficient areas of the meetings, the researcher can better facilitate professional growth.

Participation in my core curriculum PLC will be the main activity conducted for this action research project. Common assessments are required once each 6 weeks and will lay the foundation for collecting data through a program that can show the teachers within the PLC, by TEKs, how their students are performing. They can then look at the level of question, the objective and the individual student and try to better understand the error. From this analysis the teachers can share successful lesson plans and learn from one another. This also allows for re-teaching of difficult objectives. The disaggregation of data will allow for the educators to design better lessons plans as they learn from one another and reflect on their perceptions of professional practices.

The second aspect to the action research plan will be to observe a PLC from another subject area. Cross-curricular PLC observations, surveys and interviews will provide further insight into the productivity and use of this time. The 8^th grade English team has agreed to allow me to observe their use of PLC time as well as the process in which they use the relevant data to further develop the quality of lessons delivered to students.

The school has currently purchased a new program called Aware that allows the teachers to input the question, answer, TEK, and then can run the student answer scantron to see their individual scores. This allows the teacher to see the exact TEK that gave the students problems. The same program will disseminate the data and provide insight into the actual breakdown between teachers. This will help in the collaborative aspect of this project. Through meaningful discussions and sharing the team can then improve upon existing lesson plans or design new and effective activities.

I will complete the project after several PLC meetings throughout this year and into the following school year. The PLC meetings occur each week and will require extensive research both through observations and through research outside of the PLC groups.

The 7th grade science team (consisting of myself, Joe Mikulas and Kathy Coleman, the 8th grade English team (led by Ann Prados), administrators (Jeff Stocks and Marsha Dufner) and the instructional coaches (Stephanie Montez and Nina Anderson) are all going to aid in the action research project. They are going to actively participate in the meetings, allow for observations and will be interviewed throughout the process.

Through the use of surveys, observations and interviews the progress can be monitored closely. Periodic surveys will allow for assurance that the project is relevant and meaningful. It will also ensure that the alignment and direction remains rooted in the initial objectives and purpose.

The assessment tools will include the Aware program and will allow for individual student progress to be charted. Objectives that were difficult can be retested and further analyzed. Reflection upon the collected data will further assess whether the implementation of deep analysis is effective in increasing student achievement and performance.

Doubts...

During the planning process of this action research process I have begun to have doubts that I will find sound data that will really impact the teaching style of, not only myself, but my team and my school. I want desperately for it to make a difference but the more I think and plan the project the more I am struggling to really feel confident about the choice of research. I picked the research topic because I have had concerns regarding the process that my school uses to analyze student testing data. We don't use it...that's the main concern. I feel that if we are required to input the data, we should be using it to benefit the kids. I want to learn about how others are using their data, change my own procedures, and those of my PLC. I hope that what I am doing will make a difference to those that have the same concerns and doubts about using testing data in the classroom and that, above all, there is a positive impact for student achievement. I will keep working and thinking in order to make the most of this project. As Voltaire said, "“Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one.”  I'm hoping that my doubt is, in fact, ridiculous, and that I will truly use this project to better my own practice....in the meantime, I'll have to keep on pushing forward to really work towards what I have set forth to investigate.

Preparing to Research

In preparing for my research project I have found myself looking to my principal for assistance. When I began the meeting with my principal we discussed the areas of research that he has personally been conducting to meet the needs of our school. He said that his current concern is the use and effectiveness of homework within the school. He established our current committee in response to student needs and teacher concerns that have had him looking deeper into the issue. This inspired me to make my action research meaningful because I have been wondering about the effectiveness of our current program, Aware, in the use of testing data and common assessments. I am also concerned that the data is not being used effectively to better meet the needs of our students. In discussing these matters we both agreed that this line of research would best suit my professional concerns. I will be using my own experiences and incorporating my personal wonderings to further the research in a meaningful way. I will also observe another subject area’s PLC time to gain perspective and learn more about the alternative ways of data use and collaboration. I think it is essential to keep in mind this research project should allow for my own personal growth AND lead to increased student performance. It's all about the kids and I really need to keep that in mind throughout this learning process!

 

Leadership Blogging

Blogging can expand horizons for many leaders if they could just take the technological leap. By using this tool, educators and administrators can overcome proximity in both distance and time. Blogging allows for shared inquiry that might not otherwise be possible due to the above mentioned constraints. To share in such a global way has the potential to produce monumental success for our students!

Action Research and Inquiry

Administrative inquiry is a highly effective process that involves action followed by meaningful reflection. It is based on collaboration from both teachers and administrators to better the quality of education, the culture within a school and the procedures within an educational system. Administrative inquiry involves accurately pinpointing a problem, coming up with a plan of action or a strategy that can be implemented, conducting evaluations in a timely manner, followed by analysis of evaluations to look for further improvement. Through this process, the practitioner is the source of the research and therefore is able to accurately and thoughtfully understand and acknowledge how to best address the issue or problem. The idea that the action and reflection is cyclical ensures that the desire to continuously improve and strive for the most effective procedures and quality of education are at the forefront of the leaders mind, is simply how it should be. The design for improvement should come from within, constructed by those involved in every aspect of the school and should be something that is relevant with regard to the needs of the school.  

Prior to this form of educational research, most of the studies and information were conducted by those outside of the school system. They were not in touch with what was really happening in the “trenches” and therefore, did not provide the meaningful and relevant feedback that action inquiry now provides a school’s leader. The principal’s role was to implement the recommended actions provided by outside sources. Those recommendations were designed by people who were not part of the classroom, the school or sometimes even the educational system (at the relevant levels). Principals were discouraged from fixing and addressing issues and were on a strictly reactionary path versus the, more effective, action-based method of improvement and inquiry.

Action research can include anything from enrolling in education programs intended to stimulate professional growth to professional learning communities. Principals can use district meetings as an effective action research opportunity. Asking questions or “wonderings” that can benefit professional practices are common at this level of inquiry. Leaders share their work, reflect and analyze what is working and what can be improved. They can then implement necessary changes and repeat the process. It pushes principals to continuously strive to better their schools and professional practices.

Professional learning communities is another area that action research and inquiry can be extremely beneficial. I think most educators engage in this type of reflection but it is highly effective when there is a purpose and intent that promotes a more mindful experience. This is the time when teachers from grade level or subject can get together, share ideas and gain insight on successful strategies. Collection and analysis of data often plays a role in these meetings. The use of testing data can benefit the educators by looking at TEKs and discussing teaching strategies that are successful. Through these frequent (often weekly) meetings, teachers can enforce action plans, meet for reflection and grow as educators through shared inquiry. I this this is the most realistic way I will implement the action research. My school is implementing data collection and analysis on common assessments and, for the most part, it has been a difficult and cumbersome change. I intend on making the sure I look at the data by TEKs and really have a meaningful discussion with my curriculum team about strategies and activities that promote student success.

Action research allows for reflection that promotes professional growth. By implementing a plan, reflecting, revisiting the plan in an analytical manner, and re-implementing the plan you are learning from mistakes and noting successes. This can be both humbling and exhilarating for educators. By learning and growing from mistakes you are improving and fine-tuning your professional techniques and raising the standard for education. Realizing your successes improves confidence and students feed off of that type of energy.

One problem with action inquiry is the time it takes to conduct meaningful reflection. The text suggests going at the problem as you would with regular work-out sessions. It is just something you make a daily habit. Once you integrate it into your daily routine, it seems less of a burden and more of a benefit. As you create meaningful experiences through action and reflection you increase your professional health. Making this type of inquiry a typical and routine experience can increase productivity and confidence in professional abilities through shared collaboration and efforts. The support and interconnectedness that these types of activities generate, promotes and enhances the culture and climate within a school as well.

Action research stimulates professional relationships that allow for growth within an educational setting. Teachers learn from other teachers and their leaders, principals from their staff and fellow colleagues and through this collaboration, there is a student benefit. Students begin benefitting not just from one teacher’s skills and insight but from a whole community of capable adults. The burden of educating alone is lifted in this shared action research paradigm. By collaborating teachers and principals can support one another, learn from one another and grow together. The cyclical pattern of action and reflection sparks monumental growth that was not feasible within the traditional educational research plan.