FINAL REFLECTIONS-EDLD 5301

This course was more action and doing than that of listening to lectures. My opinion is that the action was appropriate and mirrored and modeled the teachings of the action research-much doing and less listening. The lectures through the videos were short and concise. I appreciated all the advice that was given and vast knowledge of the topic, action research that was portrayed through the videos. All readings were suitable to the course. The action research dissertations of a few principals helped tremendously in knowing the expectation of the program. Searches, like electronic searches of topics and questions I took my action research from my own personal situation at school. Searching for related topics on the internet assisted me. The Dana and the Harris et al booked helped in the research topic. At first, I had chosen one topic. I research related topics on the internet along with data. Then I decide to change to another topic more relevant to my daily walk. It was then that I found more related literature and data. Both the Dana, Leading with passion and Knowledge and Harris et al, Examining what we do to Improve our Schools, books made the action research very understandable. Both books are detailed oriented. Everything aspect of the action research is shared and complete. This thoroughness made it easy to do my assignments and activities in the course. I know that I have come a long way in the knowledge what an action research is and what has to be done. The discussion board made it easy for me to see what others are doing in the course. I gave feedback and took feedback from pothers in the discussion board. Everyone was polite and supportive of each other. The blogs make me see how other are thinking about their research. It is a form for me and others to share what we are doing and receive advice on matters that we may not even have thought concerning our topic.

Reflection on week4

This week has really set things for me in terms of the action research. The ideas are flowing and I am finding so many items in which I can use as measurement for my topic.

Action Plan

SCHOOL VISION:

The vision, with the community's help, is to empower each student with knowledge, values, attitudes and tools to be successful for the 21^st Century.

GOAL: Exemplary status for Academic year 2011-2012

 

OUTCOMES	ACTIVITIES	RESOURCES/ RESEARCH TOOLS NEEDED	RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS ACTIVITIES	TIME LINE	Benchmarks/ ASSESSMENT	Revisions to SIP/PIP based on monitoring and assessments
Exemplary in Math	1. IEP for each student (includes target groups) 2. project class (behavior and character building) 3. PD 4. attendance 5. target groups-LEP and low quartile students	1. classroom/ TAKS data 2. CD/booklet- with weekly follow-up where teachers are supported in classroom and can see lessons modeled- and posters 3. PD web-site for math PD with weekly follow-up where teachers are supported in classroom and can see lessons modeled   4.	Teachers Staff Principal Principal/teacher	1. Implementation 9-5-11 2. Implementation-first day of school 8-22-11 3. PD=week of 8-15-11 4. Implementation-first day of school 8-22-11   2011-2012 Academic year	daily assessments-used as a guide for instruction Benchmarks/STAAR	Principal'/teacher/tutor
Exemplary in Reading	1. IEP for each student (includes target groups-LEP and low performing quartile students) 2. project class (behavior and character building) 3. PD 4. attendance	1.. classroom/ TAKS data   2.CD/posters and booklet with weekly follow-up where teachers are supported in classroom and can see lessons modeled- - 3. for Reading PD with weekly follow-up where teachers are supported in classroom and can see lessons modeled   4.attendnce contracts/incentives/calls to home by 8:30 AM	Teachers Staff Principal Principal/teacher	1. Implementation 9-5-11   2. Implementation-first day of school 8-22-11 3. PD=week of 8-15-11 4. Implementation-first day of school 8-22-11     2011-2012 Academic year	Daily and weekly assessments-used to guide instruction Benchmarks/STAAR	Principal'/teacher/tutor
Exemplary in Science- 5th grade	1. IEP for each student (includes target groups-LEP and low performing quartile students) ) 2. project class (behavior and character building) 3. PD in Science 4. attendance	1. classroom/ TAKS data   2. CD/posters and booklet with weekly follow-up where teachers are supported in classroom and can see lessons modeled- - 3. for Science PD with weekly follow-up where teachers are supported in classroom and can see lessons modeled   4. attendance contracts/incentives/calls to home by 8:30 AM	Teachers Staff Principal Principal/teacher	1. Implementation 9-5-11   2. Implementation-first day of school 8-22-11 3. PD=week of 8-15-11 4. Implementation-first day of school 8-22-11 2011-2012 Academic year	Weekly and daily assessments-used to guide instruction / Benchmarks/STAAR	Principal'/teacher/tutor
Exemplary in Writing-4th grade	1. IEP for each student (includes target groups-LEP and low performing quartile students) ) 2. project class (behavior and character building) 3. PD in Empowering Writer's 4. attendance	1. classroom/ TAKS data   2. CD/posters and booklet with weekly follow-up where teachers are supported in classroom and can see lessons modeled- - 3. for math PD with weekly follow-up where teachers are supported in classroom and can see lessons modeled- Empowering Writer's   4. attendance contracts/incentives/calls to home by 8:30 AM	Teachers Staff Principal Principal/teacher	1. Implementation 9-5-11   2. Implementation-first day of school 8-22-11 3. PD=week of 8-15-11 4. Implementation-first day of school 8-22-11   2011-2012 Academic year	Weekly assessments-used to guide instruction / Benchmarks/STAAR	Principal'/teacher/tutor

ReFlecTions on Week two EDLD 5301

There is no doubt that data is an important part in today's educational system. It aids the educator to see facts/information about a student. This data is then used to set goals at the campus and district levels. At the classroom level it is used to guide instruction and provide immediate feedback to the students, principal and district.

Another system that is widely used by today's educator's is the Action Research where a problem is identified and research extensively. This data is then used to guide the goals and instruction of the teacher, campus and district. Action is taken o fix whatever problem is presented. The Action Research is also to set new goals and re-visit the outcomes after a certain time has passed.

Both these systems drive today's educators'

Five Topics for Action Research from Internship Plan

Our ES did not meet the AYP for 2010-2011. Centered Action Research will be on
Teacher development in ESL, Math and Project Class and Empowering Writer’s. The questions are set and we are analyzing data, the next step is to visit the various web-sites for PD, district and regional and to implement them with best practice. This can be done through a spirit of collaboration.

Topic
1. School Performance

In what grade level, academic areas were the students who performed poorly on TAKS for 2010-2011 and how can we effectively help improve the scores?

Data Collection and Analysis

Review of assessment data as used by board, superintendent, faculty, and staff as it pertains to schools AYP for 2010-2011. What grade level, particular students are low performing. Find trends.


2. Staff development

What effect does the ESL program have at said ES to meet the academic needs of the LEP? How can we help the teachers help the lowest performing and LEP students to performance well on standardized tests?

Staff development of LEP and low performing students

Plan PD for staff development if ESL. Use of vocabulary and pictures in the primary grades. Use of test taking skills and exposure to the test by offering mock tests on a regular basis.


3. School Culture/Community

How can I improve student behavior and build character at the same time?
Project Class Behavior and Character Development for Students

Staff Training/follow up trainings (weekly)-school-wide. Each classroom will refer students who have trouble following the project Class routine. These children will meet with a professional from Project Class every week for the next six weeks.


4. Curriculum development

Can Empowering Writer’s Program effectively produce better writers to meet the demands of the STAAR and college and career readiness from grades k-5th?

Empowering Writer’s

Empowering Writer’s training is a very elaborate program which comes with materials already prepared. There are certain methodologies to use for each grade level. Every month a focus is sent to the teachers and is also included in the TE.


5. Staff Development/Curriculum development

How can I develop staff on better math practices in across all grade levels? School-wide math teacher training from pk-6th grade which would include follow-up training to each classroom, model classes and advise to teaches.
Daily tutoring.


My old principal is gone to a job inside the administration building. She is no longer a principal. The assistant principal retired at the end of the year. Right now, I am looking for ne supervisors.


Topic

Can Empowering Writer’s Program effectively produce better writers to meet the demands of the STAAR and college and career readiness from grades k-5th?

Analysis of Interviews of Dr. Timothy Chargois, Dr. Kirk Lewis and Dr. Johnny Briseno

Dr. Timothy Chargois
-Director of Research, Planning and Development
-Beaumont ISD

Topic: School Performance/ Individual teacher

Description:

“How to be a data driven in pedagogy and content”
-data impacts students immediately
-Increase student performance
-Data used for immediate feedback to students
-Data used to impact teacher instruction immediately
-Software to make predictions of how students are likely to perform

Reflection: Data is a very systematic approach to immediately give back feedback to both teachers and students. Teachers use data to guide instruction for each child. Ex-teach and test until the results are positive in the classroom.



Dr. Kirk Lewis
-Superintendent
-Pasadena ISD

Topic: School Performance/ Individual teacher

Description:

-received grant from Gates Foundation for a project called, “Expectation Graduation.”
-change to deliver a more rigorous and relevant curriculum and instruction to 9th grade students
-change to deliver instruction and deeper level of understanding
-Data used to drive instruction at the campus level
-Data used at the district level for global goals
-used practical goals
-data used to analyze and apply at classroom level

Reflection: Data is a very important way to drive and change instruction when it not working for certain students.


Dr. Johnny Briseno

-Principal
-Rancho Isabella Elementary
Angleton ISD

Topic:School Performance/Individual teacher

Description:

-looks at data/facts about students
-must have data(source of data) when looking at a student who has a problem
-looks at quantitative and qualitative data for each student
-data used to intervene before student is retained
-peers share instructional strategies with each other

Reflection: Again data is used to guide instruction. Something new here is peer collaboration. Dr. Briseno also looks at the whole student and NOT just the data for each student. Also uses EBSCO for articles

Action Research TOPIC/Benefit/Importance of Research Topic/ Example of Action Research topic

1. Staff development
-help improve and implement teacher’s best practices in math
-teacher growth
-support staff
How can I develop staff on better math practices in across all grade levels?

My ES did the following in staff development-1 year of continuous math coaching, modeling lessons, dialogue, giving best practices and advise, came into classrooms to checked workstations. The math coach did this for all grade levels.

2. Curriculum development
- a quality curriculum is essential in achieving educational excellence (Dana, 2009,p. 35)
-meaningful change takes place at the state, district, school and classroom (p.35)

How can a district provide a writing curriculum that will help teachers achieve excellence in teaching writing and students improve standardized test scores?

Houston ISD implemented the Empowering Writing Program 2 years age. TAKS scores have risen especially in the East Region.

3. Individual teacher(s)
-connecting with students
-improve student performance

How can I support each teacher to have an action research plan since we did not meet AYP?

4. Individual student(s)
-knowing thy student very well
-improve student performance
-individualized help for each student leads to supersede grade level expectations
-connecting with students (Dana, 2009, p.41)

How can I, as a principal best meet the needs of each student with an IEP?

This is my second year doing an IEP for each student. I usually have a card for each student which shows what they have mastered and what they need to master.

5. School Culture/Community
-builds moral
-school character

How can I improve student behavior and build character at the same time?

We have a new principal who has started the Project Class Program for the entire school. Everyone on staff had to take the training. We all get the students attention the same way, teach social skills ranging from following directions, paying attention and accepting feedback and accepting no as an answer. Each social skill has its own song and hand movements. The kids love it and we have already seen a school-wide improvement in behavior.

6. Leadership
-leads to expert level-through time
-trust
-success in the classroom

As a leader, how will I make sure that I am constantly making an effort to reach the expert level?

How can I build a good relationship between me as leader and the staff of teachers?
A best result from teachers is to have a great relationship. (Dana, 2009, p. 54-55.

7. Management
-teachers will receive their full lunchtime instead of 15”
-builds moral
-brings order

How can I assure that all the teachers are properly having their 30 minutes of lunch each day?

Teachers had to go through the lunch line with the students. Translation-15” lunch period for teachers. Now, we drop the kids at the door and they are taken care of by the principal and her assistants.

8. School performance
-improved academic excellence for low performing students

What effect does the ESL program have at said ES to meet the academic needs of the LEP? How can we help the lowest performing and LEP students improve performance on standardized tests?

My ES did not meet the AYP. Shocking because our math scores were higher the year before.

9. Social justice or equity issues

-Student able to study better on a full stomach
-increased concentration/focus

How can a school district make sure that each child starts the day properly?
I no longer hear question relating as to what time lunch is. Nor, the dreaded, “I’m hungry,” or “I did not eat anything this morning.”

What is administrative inquiry or action research?How does action research differ from traditional educational research?

What is administrative inquiry or action research?

Action research is a method of investigation in which the administrator asks certain questions, collects data, analyzes and examines, acts, and the revisits and does further action if required. This is done as school improvement (Harris, 5).
It is a 6 stepped process:
1. Identifying a focus/purpose
2. Collecting data
3. Analyzing/interpreting/examine data
4. Taking action/
5. Evaluating results on the action taken
6. Identify next steps/next direction
This makes the administrator develop a plan of action that will improve the school. The teacher would do an action plan that improves teaching and/or student learning and work.
This involves a doing, a getting involved personally for improvement of school or self as a leader.

How does action research differ from traditional educational research?

Action research has to do with an action taken as in directional steps from identifying certain questions, collests data, analyzes and examines, acts, and the revisits and does further action if required. Action research is results oriented. Meanwhile, traditional research is the basics of identitying a focus, collecting data and writing about it. Tradional research is more knowledge based with the action steps to fix a problem.

three examples of action research in educational settings/benefits of conducting action research

Assignment part 2:
Give at least three examples of action research in educational settings.
Examples for action research in an educational are as follows:
1. Administrative teams
The administrative teams shares leadership responsibilities with the principal. For instance, policy development, managing programs, and decision making, etc. (Dana, 2009)

2. Professional Learning Communities (PLC)
A group of faculty members who gather on a regular basis to share more effective learning and teaching practices with certain protocol to assure dialogue of student learning and student work (Dana, 22).

3. Superintendent and District Meetings
In Pinella County, Florida, A portion of the monthly administration meeting is devoted to the principals’ action research and celebrations of it. Principals are asked to identify one area of study. They meet in groups of twelve regularly and is considered an action research in PLC (Dana, 22).

Describe the benefits of conducting action research.
Action research leads to reflection and reflection leads to the expertise level.
Another benefit is the collaboration between teachers, administration toward better learning and teaching.
Teachers reflect on their own practices to improve student learning. The teacher knows exactly what learning in happening in the classroom (Ringel,2007)

Describe why reflection is an important skill in leadership

A. Describe why reflection is an important skill in leadership.
Martin, et al in the book, “In School Leader Internship”, Reflection is described as, “the ability to think more deeply about a problem, and the ability to take action or make adjustments accordingly.” (Martin, et al., “In School Leader Internship,” p. 104, 2005)
“It allows one to learn from experiences while acquiring administrative skills from a combination of theory and practice.” In School Leader Internship, Martin, et al (p. 105)
Reflection is a process that a leader should take time and be committed for it leads to informed decisions. Dana states that one should schedule time to reflect and do inquiry. (Leading with passion, p.18-19)
This leads to school improvement, curriculum development, professional development for both teachers and principals.

B. Why is reflection an important aspect of action research?
Action research is more of a personal growth system which allows the leader to inquiry, collect date, examine and analyze, take action and then reflect of the outcomes and adjust if necessary. Reflection is part of the process.
It is through time that reflection leads to expertise. Martinet at., goes on to express that reflection is a cognitive process that goes through three stages, declarative (concepts and facts), associative stage (growth in organization and interconnectedness of knowledge), and finally the autonomous stage, (making decisions become more automatic or second nature). This process leads to expertise and is acquired overtime. (105-106).

Action Research Empowering Writer's-WHY?

Problem

There are over a dozen low performing schools in writing in my local region within the district. One of the areas which students seem to have trouble in is writing. Teachers state that student do not know how to write a well formulated sentence much less a story.

Why is the problem a critical one?

In our school district, we are hearing quite a great deal of college and career readiness. If students do not know how to write an essay then writing at the college level becomes a challenge especially when it has been done for nearly all classes!
At the elementary and secondary levels, knowing that the students are tested on writing on standardized tests and are performing poorly is to me quite troubling.
How can change occur?
The district has purchased, Empowering Writer’s. This is a writing program which promises to use a methodology which has students writing stories from kindergarten. Empowering Writer’s also promises to raise standardized test scores in writing. This program has been in use here in the district for two years now. It has also been in use around the US for thirteen years.

Research Action Question

Does using the Empowering Writer’s methodology effectively prepare students for standardized tests and ultimately groom students for college and career readiness?

Description of what I have learned about Action Research. How I might be able to use it.

Action based research is helpful for school and professional improvement through reflection and data and the constant reexamine of self which leads to a change or betterment in a school setting through best practices. It is important that a problem is identified, measured over time while collecting the data, analyze and interpret the data, take an action on the data, examine the results and consider a next step through reflection. An leader may focus on the following: Teaching and learning, capacity building, community building and policy and management.
It is also used for new leaders who are in internships to accumulate data on leadership skills and pertinent data so informed decisions are made. These leadership skills are learned and refined through training and experience over a long period of time in a field based setting.
As a leader, I would imagine using action research to not only develop leadership skills but to also make informed decisions. I would identify a problem at school, collect data, analyze and examine, take a course of action to fix the problem. After a period of time, I would then check the results and decide my next steps through reflection.

Analysis of how Educational Leaders might Use Blogs

To the educational community, blogs provide a plethora of real time, up to date information pertinent to its users, educational leaders.
To its readers, blogs offers educational news, technology, policy and inspiration to its readers.
It is a world unlike itself where leader’s world-wide may read the latest news concerning problems and its solutions.
Innovative news, ideas and the latest technology based resource for the classroom, school or school district may use.
Leaders may read about teacher and/or education policy changes.
A leader in the US may help offer inspiration to someone in Indonesia. Leaders also connect with each other and read about each other.