In my last week of the research class EDLD 5301 I have many thoughts and reflections about what I have completed, explored, and learned throughout this class. When the class began I had a completely different view of what the expectations and outcomes of this class would be. I assumed I would be asked to research an education or leadership topic and then write a research paper about my findings. I had no idea that I would be asked to take action about a topic pertinent to my campus.
Watching the interviews with various school and district leaders at the beginning of the course was extremely helpful to me. I was able to really see what action research was and how it was used in different schools throughout Texas. I was also able to see how I could use action research to meet the needs of my school and teachers, rather than developing an abstract research plan.
The weekly lectures from our class professors were also very helpful. Not only did they provide information related to our course on action research, but they provided an incredible amount of support as well. I think it is natural for students going through a graduate program to place an enormous amount of stress on themselves, and completing a research plan that might not always go smoothly can be very stressful. As students we were assured each week that even if the research plan is not completely finished or approved, we would be graded and appreciated for our efforts and ideas. It was very helpful to know the professors understood ‘real world’ situations that could stand in the way of a perfect and complete research plan.
Another helpful piece of this class was the internet searches I was able to do after various textbook readings. I enjoyed reading about the different strategies for collaboration that can be used in my campus rather than just taking a majority vote. After reading about the three different strategies that were discussed I was able to look up more information in order to find ways to use them at my specific campus.
The layout of the class as a whole helped me as an individual meet the goals of the class. I was able to take a step by step approach to a form of research that was new to me. This ensured I understood the expectations of each step, as well as ensuring I was doing quality work, not rushing to get the job complete. I was also able to take the time to talk to my site supervisor and find relevant topics to be researched, as well as other resources that could be helpful to me as I complete my research action plan.
The final part of this class that I personally found the most helpful was the weekly discussion board postings and blog reflections. Being able to share ideas, plans, and challenges with classmates working on the same thing helped me to gain new ideas, as well as see that I was not alone in my questions and challenges. The support and questions from my classmates showed me that I was on track in writing a successful and relevant action plan.
I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the learning that took place during this class. I will use the knowledge and skills I have gained in other classes, as well as through my career as an administrator. I also look forward to exploring the results of my research plan.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Agreed Upon Action Research Plan
1. Examining the Work--Setting the Foundation:
In the past five years my school and school district have changed the way at-risk students are identified, as well as the meetings, paperwork, and procedures that accompany this identification. My campus has not an easy transition from one system to the other, and many teachers are reluctant to even try the new system (Response to Intervention), even if it affects the students. My campus never had an effective training on the new paperwork or procedures, and many refuse to even complete the Response to Intervention paperwork. Often times the teachers at my school will start the process, find it too overwhelming, and quit the process before their student has been adequately identified. All of this led me to my research action question: What is the most effective way to train teachers on the Response to Intervention process so it will be completed consistently on my campus, and what is the affect of this training on at-risk students at my campus?
2. Analyzing Data:
As a member of my school’s RTI committee, I have access to the campus database as students are entered in from the start of the process. At the beginning of the school year many students start the RTI process, and then the paperwork is stopped. Nothing has been resolved for these students, and no further interventions take place. Also, teachers are left frustrated and overwhelmed by the paperwork—this is represented in committee meetings as well as emails to committee members asking for assistance.
3. Developing a Deeper Understanding:
As I begin work on the RTI committee this year I noticed the reluctance of teachers to approach the committee with assistance for a student. I noticed in the database there were many students who had started the process and never continued, as well as students I knew of on my grade level who were considered at-risk, but had never been brought to the RTI committee. I began to ask teachers in various grade levels about these students and was overwhelmed by the negative comments I heard about the RTI process as well as confusion and questions about the paperwork. I started to write these questions down and talk to my site supervisor and school diagnostician about them. In order to continue my understanding I will develop a set of specific questions to ask various teachers at my campus and will compile the answers to these questions.
4. Engaging in Self-Reflection:
I will need to engage in constant self-reflection during this research project to ensure I am not losing sight of the end result. I also need to ensure that I am involved in the questioning process since I too have problems with the RTI procedures at my school.
5. Exploring Pragmatic Patterns:
During this process I will need to be in constant communication with my site supervisor and school diagnostician to ensure the training we develop is meeting the needs and answering the questions of teachers. We will also need to closely monitor the students who are going through the RTI process to ensure they are not being negatively impacted by lack of understanding during this training period.
6. Determining Direction:
Once I have completed the data collection and have a clear list of teacher issues and student needs, I will be able to communicate a clear direction with my site supervisor. I will be able to adjust any research I feel as necessary, as well as adjusting timelines to best meet the needs of staff and students.
7. Taking Action for Improvement:
I will be using the written plan of action I have developed. First I will be interviewing teachers at various schools in my district as well as at other schools in the state. I will be compiling information from these successful RTI programs in order to develop a staff training for my school that will take place during our staff development week in August.
8. Sustaining Improvement:
After the August training I will be using my position on the RTI committee to ensure teachers are coming to meetings confident and prepared, checking to see what questions teachers still have, and keeping track of each student who starts the process to ensure the RTI is completed for that student. This plan will have an effect of the staff and students at my campus, and I am looking forward to ensuring it is a positive one.
In the past five years my school and school district have changed the way at-risk students are identified, as well as the meetings, paperwork, and procedures that accompany this identification. My campus has not an easy transition from one system to the other, and many teachers are reluctant to even try the new system (Response to Intervention), even if it affects the students. My campus never had an effective training on the new paperwork or procedures, and many refuse to even complete the Response to Intervention paperwork. Often times the teachers at my school will start the process, find it too overwhelming, and quit the process before their student has been adequately identified. All of this led me to my research action question: What is the most effective way to train teachers on the Response to Intervention process so it will be completed consistently on my campus, and what is the affect of this training on at-risk students at my campus?
2. Analyzing Data:
As a member of my school’s RTI committee, I have access to the campus database as students are entered in from the start of the process. At the beginning of the school year many students start the RTI process, and then the paperwork is stopped. Nothing has been resolved for these students, and no further interventions take place. Also, teachers are left frustrated and overwhelmed by the paperwork—this is represented in committee meetings as well as emails to committee members asking for assistance.
3. Developing a Deeper Understanding:
As I begin work on the RTI committee this year I noticed the reluctance of teachers to approach the committee with assistance for a student. I noticed in the database there were many students who had started the process and never continued, as well as students I knew of on my grade level who were considered at-risk, but had never been brought to the RTI committee. I began to ask teachers in various grade levels about these students and was overwhelmed by the negative comments I heard about the RTI process as well as confusion and questions about the paperwork. I started to write these questions down and talk to my site supervisor and school diagnostician about them. In order to continue my understanding I will develop a set of specific questions to ask various teachers at my campus and will compile the answers to these questions.
4. Engaging in Self-Reflection:
I will need to engage in constant self-reflection during this research project to ensure I am not losing sight of the end result. I also need to ensure that I am involved in the questioning process since I too have problems with the RTI procedures at my school.
5. Exploring Pragmatic Patterns:
During this process I will need to be in constant communication with my site supervisor and school diagnostician to ensure the training we develop is meeting the needs and answering the questions of teachers. We will also need to closely monitor the students who are going through the RTI process to ensure they are not being negatively impacted by lack of understanding during this training period.
6. Determining Direction:
Once I have completed the data collection and have a clear list of teacher issues and student needs, I will be able to communicate a clear direction with my site supervisor. I will be able to adjust any research I feel as necessary, as well as adjusting timelines to best meet the needs of staff and students.
7. Taking Action for Improvement:
I will be using the written plan of action I have developed. First I will be interviewing teachers at various schools in my district as well as at other schools in the state. I will be compiling information from these successful RTI programs in order to develop a staff training for my school that will take place during our staff development week in August.
8. Sustaining Improvement:
After the August training I will be using my position on the RTI committee to ensure teachers are coming to meetings confident and prepared, checking to see what questions teachers still have, and keeping track of each student who starts the process to ensure the RTI is completed for that student. This plan will have an effect of the staff and students at my campus, and I am looking forward to ensuring it is a positive one.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Action Research Plan--Draft
1. Examining the Work--Setting the Foundation:
In the past five years my school and school district have changed the way at-risk students are identified, as well as the meetings, paperwork, and procedures that accompany this identification. My campus has not an easy transition from one system to the other, and many teachers are reluctant to even try the new system (Response to Intervention), even if it affects the students. My campus never had an effective training on the new paperwork or procedures, and many refuse to even complete the Response to Intervention paperwork. Often times the teachers at my school will start the process, find it too overwhelming, and quit the process before their student has been adequately identified. All of this led me to my research action question: What is the most effective way to train teachers on the Response to Intervention process so it will be completed consistently on my campus, and what is the affect of this training on at-risk students at my campus?
2. Analyzing Data:
As a member of my school’s RTI committee, I have access to the campus database as students are entered in from the start of the process. At the beginning of the school year many students start the RTI process, and then the paperwork is stopped. Nothing has been resolved for these students, and no further interventions take place. Also, teachers are left frustrated and overwhelmed by the paperwork—this is represented in committee meetings as well as emails to committee members asking for assistance.
3. Developing a Deeper Understanding:
As I begin work on the RTI committee this year I noticed the reluctance of teachers to approach the committee with assistance for a student. I noticed in the database there were many students who had started the process and never continued, as well as students I knew of on my grade level who were considered at-risk, but had never been brought to the RTI committee. I began to ask teachers in various grade levels about these students and was overwhelmed by the negative comments I heard about the RTI process as well as confusion and questions about the paperwork. I started to write these questions down and talk to my site supervisor and school diagnostician about them. In order to continue my understanding I will develop a set of specific questions to ask various teachers at my campus and will compile the answers to these questions.
4. Engaging in Self-Reflection:
I will need to engage in constant self-reflection during this research project to ensure I am not losing sight of the end result. I also need to ensure that I am involved in the questioning process since I too have problems with the RTI procedures at my school.
5. Exploring Pragmatic Patterns:
During this process I will need to be in constant communication with my site supervisor and school diagnostician to ensure the training we develop is meeting the needs and answering the questions of teachers. We will also need to closely monitor the students who are going through the RTI process to ensure they are not being negatively impacted by lack of understanding during this training period.
6. Determining Direction:
Once I have completed the data collection and have a clear list of teacher issues and student needs, I will be able to communicate a clear direction with my site supervisor. I will be able to adjust any research I feel as necessary, as well as adjusting timelines to best meet the needs of staff and students.
7. Taking Action for Improvement:
I will be using the written plan of action I have developed. First I will be interviewing teachers at various schools in my district as well as at other schools in the state. I will be compiling information from these successful RTI programs in order to develop a staff training for my school that will take place during our staff development week in August.
8. Sustaining Improvement:
After the August training I will be using my position on the RTI committee to ensure teachers are coming to meetings confident and prepared, checking to see what questions teachers still have, and keeping track of each student who starts the process to ensure the RTI is completed for that student. This plan will have an effect of the staff and students at my campus, and I am looking forward to ensuring it is a positive one.
In the past five years my school and school district have changed the way at-risk students are identified, as well as the meetings, paperwork, and procedures that accompany this identification. My campus has not an easy transition from one system to the other, and many teachers are reluctant to even try the new system (Response to Intervention), even if it affects the students. My campus never had an effective training on the new paperwork or procedures, and many refuse to even complete the Response to Intervention paperwork. Often times the teachers at my school will start the process, find it too overwhelming, and quit the process before their student has been adequately identified. All of this led me to my research action question: What is the most effective way to train teachers on the Response to Intervention process so it will be completed consistently on my campus, and what is the affect of this training on at-risk students at my campus?
2. Analyzing Data:
As a member of my school’s RTI committee, I have access to the campus database as students are entered in from the start of the process. At the beginning of the school year many students start the RTI process, and then the paperwork is stopped. Nothing has been resolved for these students, and no further interventions take place. Also, teachers are left frustrated and overwhelmed by the paperwork—this is represented in committee meetings as well as emails to committee members asking for assistance.
3. Developing a Deeper Understanding:
As I begin work on the RTI committee this year I noticed the reluctance of teachers to approach the committee with assistance for a student. I noticed in the database there were many students who had started the process and never continued, as well as students I knew of on my grade level who were considered at-risk, but had never been brought to the RTI committee. I began to ask teachers in various grade levels about these students and was overwhelmed by the negative comments I heard about the RTI process as well as confusion and questions about the paperwork. I started to write these questions down and talk to my site supervisor and school diagnostician about them. In order to continue my understanding I will develop a set of specific questions to ask various teachers at my campus and will compile the answers to these questions.
4. Engaging in Self-Reflection:
I will need to engage in constant self-reflection during this research project to ensure I am not losing sight of the end result. I also need to ensure that I am involved in the questioning process since I too have problems with the RTI procedures at my school.
5. Exploring Pragmatic Patterns:
During this process I will need to be in constant communication with my site supervisor and school diagnostician to ensure the training we develop is meeting the needs and answering the questions of teachers. We will also need to closely monitor the students who are going through the RTI process to ensure they are not being negatively impacted by lack of understanding during this training period.
6. Determining Direction:
Once I have completed the data collection and have a clear list of teacher issues and student needs, I will be able to communicate a clear direction with my site supervisor. I will be able to adjust any research I feel as necessary, as well as adjusting timelines to best meet the needs of staff and students.
7. Taking Action for Improvement:
I will be using the written plan of action I have developed. First I will be interviewing teachers at various schools in my district as well as at other schools in the state. I will be compiling information from these successful RTI programs in order to develop a staff training for my school that will take place during our staff development week in August.
8. Sustaining Improvement:
After the August training I will be using my position on the RTI committee to ensure teachers are coming to meetings confident and prepared, checking to see what questions teachers still have, and keeping track of each student who starts the process to ensure the RTI is completed for that student. This plan will have an effect of the staff and students at my campus, and I am looking forward to ensuring it is a positive one.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Action Research Project
After discussing my thoughts on what my action research topic should be with my supervisor, I have decided to focus on the RTI process at my school. Right now the process is basically a mess, with teachers confused about what they are expected to do and what paperwork needs to be filled out. I would like to focus on "What is the most effective way to train teachers on the RTI process so that it is effective and in the best interests of the students?" My hope is that in doing this I will provide the best procedures for the teachers at my school, as well as providing a RTI process that helps the students.
Monday, February 21, 2011
How Educational Leaders Might Use Blogs
Educational leaders can use blogs during a research pr implementation process in order to keep those involved in the situation informed of new developments and strategies. It will also provide a place for conversations to take place in a different, more relaxed forum.
Action Research: What I Have Learned
After reading about action research so far, I must admit I am more excited about it than the "old" way of doing research where you read what someone else has done and summarize it. In the situation just presented at my school, I think action research will be the perfect way to learn more about interventions as well as implement my findings. Action research is a cyclical approach in which the researcher is asking the questions and finding the answers to their own questions. The researcher is not doing what has been asked or mandated of them, but rather finding the answers to problems that are important to them and their school. this kind of research is very important in today's schools. Leaders have to do more than just follow the directives of those people in positions above them. They must be problem solvers and take action when problems arise. If they are questioning and researching those problems specific to them, they are more likely to implement their findings in order to make their schools a more productive place.
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