My First Action Research Plan

Action Research Plan
Goal: We, the math teachers of White Deer High School, will adapt our classroom practices to raise the levels of student engagement to facilitate deeper understanding and learning in order to improve our 9th grade students' achievement on the Algebra I End Of Course Exam / State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR)
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Create a highly engaging classroom through specific steps addressed in The Highly Engaged Classroom by Robert J. Marzano and participatory activities in the Region 16 Collaborative for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching (R16CEMT).	Jeff Quisenberry and Jessica Selman (math teachers of White Deer High School).	August 23, 2011 through May 29, 2012	The Highly Engaged Classroom. Membership in R16CEMT, which allows access to both a network of educators and shared resource material.	Administrative walk through and evaluations, student interviews, videos of classroom daily activities and teacher reflective journal.
We will pursue continuation of our professional development and improvement of our knowledge and skills.	Jeff Quisenberry and Jessica Selman	August 23, 2011 through May 29, 2012.	Internet capability to research "what are other schools doing or have they done when facing similar challenges?" Selected trainings at our regional service center designed to address how we as teachers can impact our students to meet the standards by the State of Texas. Share and learn through our professional network of teachers developed in R16CEMT.	We will collaborate to share both successes and struggles as well as to create a mutually agreed upon plan on what we can do to positively impact our students. The ultimate success of all of these activities will be seen through our students' performance on the End Of Course Exams.
Four benchmark tests will be given, one at conclusion of each of the first four 6 weeks, which will address the Supporting and Readiness Standards in a format that will be similar to what is expected on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness Test.	Jeff Quisenberry, Jessica Selman and Darla Forney (principal of White Deer High School).	September 28, 2011. November 2, 2011. January 4, 2012. February 29, 2012.	Materials taken from Algebra I EOC Preparedness Training provided by the Region 16 Education Service Center. Materials taken from R16CEMT. Test generator through Data Management software for Assessment and Curriculum (DMAC) in Texas schools.	A score of 70% or higher will be deemed to "meet the standard." The goal is to have 100% of all students meet the standard. Individual results will allow us to differentiate and address student individual needs. Objectives with a low rate of student success Demonstrate an area for class remediation.
We will compare qualitative data from our evaluation of our success in creating highly engaging classrooms to the quantitative data on our students' success on our benchmark tests	Jeff Quisenberry, Jessica Selman and Darla Forney.	September 29, 2011 through March 7, 2012.	Complete collection of administrative evaluative material as well as student interviews, classroom videos and teacher journals and completed lesson plans.	Objectives on which our students performed: do the instructional periods that we taught these knowledge and skills correspond to time periods where we feel that we created highly engaging classrooms and learning experiences? Is the inverse true as well? Does the time periods when we taught objectives our students did not perform well on coincide with times when we struggled with creating engagement?
After we return from Spring Break we want to look for a deeper understanding of how are we affecting our students? Are we, through our instruction creating or not addressing achievement gaps. We want to create a plan that will answer "In the next 6 Weeks what are we, as the teachers, going to do address these issues?"	Jeff Quisenberry, Jessica Selman and Darla Forney.	March 19, 2012 – March 23, 2012.	DMAC report from our previous 4 benchmarks with disaggregated data by student vs. objective, AEIS groups vs. objective and entire class vs. objective. Completed lesson plans. List of "What do We Think We Have Done Best."	We will identify what knowledge and skills our students have struggled to master. We will look at data concerning individuals, sub- populations groups and whole group. We will create a six weeks plan of not only what we will teach but how will we teach it. We will use for templates the lessons that were most successful in engaging our students in the learning and have produced the highest achievement on our benchmark tests.
Our students will take the Algebra I, End of Course Exam. This will be the ultimate indicator of the success of this plan. The goal is not to teach to the test but to best prepare our students to attain high achievement on the test by creating high levels of learning through engaging classrooms.	Jeff Quisenberry, Jessica Selman and Darla Forney.	May 7, 2012 through May 25, 2012.	2011 – 2012 9th grade students' performance results on the Algebra I End Of Course Exam / State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness. These same students performance on their 8th grade TAKS Test. The 10th – 12th grade students of White Deer High School results on their 9th grade TAKS Test.	We will use our students' STAAR results to identify if we were successful throughout the school year. Did we positively impact our students' achievement on the state mandated test? Also, how did our students' mastery of their 9th grade, Algebra I, objectives compare to their mastery of their 8th grade objectives the previous year? Finally, how did this group of students perform compared to the previous three classes of students on their 9th grade state test? Are we preparing our students for success for the remainder of their high school career?
In this final step we want to collaboratively answer the question: "So now what? Where do we go from here?" In this stage we are preparing ourselves for future inquiries. As this process is cyclical and will continue, we want to, as the 2011 – 2012 school year ends, set the foundation for the 2012 – 2013 school year.	Jeff Quisenberry, Jessica Selman and Darla Forney.	May 28, 2012 through June 1, 2012.	A short, yet comprehensive list of what we did in Algebra I class during the 2011 – 2012 school year and the "class report" of how did our freshman class perform on the EOC test.	We want to answer: "In what areas did we positively impact our students' achievement?" "In what areas did we not positively impact our students' achievement?" "What did we do well that we will continue doing next year?" "What did we do that didn't work out well?" "How will we improve upon these practices next year?"

 

Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools

(Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)

My action research project proposal

Wow.  This week has been challenging and informative.  I have created my first action research proposal and like most things on the first try, I'm sure it's not perfect and will continue to be developed.  This was a very challenging task for me to adequately put thoughts into words that would be understood by others.  However, I have found that by writing the plan an individual achieves "clarity about what it is that will focus your efforts." (Harris, et al, 2010. p. 84).   I have also tried to remain cognizant of the fact that there are 8 key steps to planning and implementing an action research project which are:  1) Examining the Work / Setting the Foundation, 2) Analyzing Data, 3) Developing Deeper Understanding, 4) Engaging In Self Reflection, 5) Exploring Patterns, 6) Determining Direction, 7) Taking Action and 8) Sustaining Improvement. (Harris, et al, 2010. p. 1)  I feel that I have an emerging understanding of how to do this and just as I'm sure my action research proposal will grow and develop so will by ability to implement each of these 8 critical aspects into my plan.

Resources

Harris, Sandra, Edmonson, Stacey, Combs, Julie. (2010). Examining What We Do To Improve Our Schools: 8 Steps From Analysis To Action.  Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.

An active inquiry I will engage in.

This week I have looked at action research projects that I can follow through on that would benefit myself and my colleauges.  I have chosen my topic to be an active inquiry that will answer the question:  How does the implementation of a highly engaging classroom prepare students to meet the demands of the impending State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness Tests (STAAR Tests) / End of Course Exams?  The significance is teachers will use their ability to create highly engaging classrooms to cover the require material and prepare students for success on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness(STAAR) tests by correctly addressing the appropriate Readiness Standards, Supporting Standards and Career and College Readiness Standards.  I have no doubt that I will further clarify exactly how to do this in the weeks to come as I have already learned so much.  I can honestly say that I am excited to be taking this journey and I do believe this will be beneficial to me and my fellow teachers.

How leaders can use blogs

Leaders can use blogs for several purposes but two main contexts stand out to me.  First, as  I have already found this to be true, blogging allows us to create a professional network that we otherwise might not be able to form.  Through blogging I have been able to gain insight into other prospective administrators’ and school leaders thoughts and ideas, which have helped me to shape and question my own.  This has been remarkably powerful.  Second, blogging allows us to capture and record our thoughts so that we can go back and revisit them at another time – just like an online journal.  Add to this that others can comment on our thoughts and opinions and you have a very powerful professional development tool.  I believe I am going to really enjoy this experience. 

What I have learned this week about action research

I have learned so much this week about action research and I am 100% certain that not only is it a very valid process but that I will begin engaging in active inquiry to grow myself so that I can help improve my school.  Active inquiry takes place when an individual takes both an active and reflective stance to examine their own actions and behaviors in order to improve upon or add to these to positively affect their organization (in my setting it is a high school but these concepts, I believe, can be carried over to any individual in any organization).  As opposed to traditional methods of research where we would read what someone else had written that told us what to do or sit in a lecture and listen to an outsider give us their research and their findings in action research the power of study and making changes belongs to the individuals that make up the institute.  Continual active inquiry is the method by which one becomes a life-long learner.  In this manner one could ask “what can I do to better help my business do ________?” and then goes about researching best practices, adjusts their actions accordingly, shares their results with others and reflects on the process before continuing.  This new knowledge has improved my outlook on how one can actively participate in the research process that affects our professional lives.  I will use this as the process I undertake anytime I have a “pondering” or question of importance.  I believe this serves as a catalyst for me in that I am better equipped to know how to grow both myself and my school.

My First Blog Post

Okay all you bloggers out there this is my first time to have a blog or make a post so I am crossing into uncharted waters.  I have created this blog as part of my Lamar Master's Program requirements and I will be posting information concerning action based research projects that I engage in.  It will be educational and fun.  More is sure to come.  Thanks for reading.  Check back soon.