This format seems a bit more pleasing to the blog reading eye than the intial post of the SIP below. Thank you for your time and feedback.
Part 3: Action Research Plan
Based on the Part 2: SIP and Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps from analysis to action by Sandra Harris, Stacey Edmonson, and Julie Combs, (Eye on Education, 2010)
1. Examining the Work: Setting the Foundation
Our common vision this year is "Race to Recognized." As a campus, we have received an Acceptable Rating for the past three years. We service a population that is 54% African-American, 38% Hispanic, 7% Asian and 1% White. We are 84% economically disadvantaged and 56% At-Risk. Where our campus is in the fourth year of Professional Learning Communities, we have yet to evolve past grade level specific challenges. Our campus data indicates that there are several mathematical concept deficiencies in grade three and identifiable math misconceptions happening by fifth grade. As one of the fifth grade team members, I have brought to the table for discussion the wide variety of Math "tricks," code words, and other inconsistent strategies that are being presented to students, at the lower grade levels, in the place of instruction that should allow for conceptual development. We have fifth graders that are just now recognizing that fractions, decimals, and whole numbers share the same numberline and that "in all" does not always mean add. We are spending a great deal of time analyzing student work to determine where to begin and often having to re-teach concepts completely.
Based on the review of campus data and discussion with my Supervisor, Ms. Rachal, my Principal, Ms. James, and my Assistant Principal, Ms. Barrett, we recognized that if we wanted to achieve Recognized status and continue to Exemplary, we had to improve the consistency of instructional practices and technical math language used at all grade levels. I had read a chapter in Failure Is Not an Option: 6 Principles for Making Student Success the Only Option by Alan M. Blankstein about the benefits of collaborative teaming. “In a collaborative school culture, professional are fully committed to and focused on helping students learn by becoming active learners themselves. They work continuously with their colleagues to improve their teaching strategies and better manage their classrooms. They recognize their crucial role in the educational process and know they can meet the challenges confronting them only by solving problems in concert with their professional colleagues” (Blankstein, 2010, p. 143). I shared with my administrative team my desire to focus on the vertical alignment of Math instruction practices through vertical teaming, as my action research project priority.
Therefore, I would like to pose the following questions:
As an extension to our campus grade level Professional Learning Communities, will vertical teaming K-5 Math improve instructional practices for conceptual understanding and improve overall student assessment performance?
Will vertical teaming encourage the use of academic math language with more
consistency and frequency at all grade levels?
Will vertical teaming increase the "ownership" of responsibility and degree of shared accountability for conceptual, foundational TEKS instruction for all K-5 Math teachers?
2. Analyzing Data 3. Developing Deeper Understanding 5. Exploring Programmatic Patterns 6. Determining Direction
Outcome #1- My plan will identify a new Vertical Math Team which will be an extension to our current grade-level specific Professional Learning Communities. Administration will recommend one Math representative from each grade-level (K-5) to serve as Math Liaisons for vertical teaming--Math Share Sessions. I will be using the following resources/research tools: district curriculum, scope and sequence (vertical alignment), academic math language grade-level vocabulary lists, and grade level specific benchmark data from the past three years (2008-2011). I will be taking lead, along with the collaborating Math Liaisons, and will seek the support of our campus Math Specialist. As a vertical team, we will review assessment data every three weeks. During our thirty minute sessions each week, we will discuss specific areas of concern per grade level, identifying areas of weakness, strength, and possible short-term and long-term solutions. I will conduct a pre-survey using SurveyMonkey to establish a baseline for the culture and climate of each grade level. I will interview each Math Liaison to gain insights as to our need, purpose, and direction.
Outcome #2- As a vertical team of grade level Math Liaisons, we will define our role, and initial and weekly responsibilities. Ultimately, the responsibilities will be to facilitate the dissemination of information and implementation of best teaching practices and the encouraged use of academic math language. Resources/research tools will include sharing Math strategies, lesson activities, or vocabulary action techniques of interest or importance, the use of laptop computers for note-taking, the use of a flashdrive per Math Liaison for any shared digital assets, the use of a campus blogsite to solicit on-going feedback which will be advocated and monitored by all Math Liaisons. I will use a combination of the following assessment methods to monitor progress and identify need: review shared lesson planning on Eduphoria-Forethought (with the help of administration), looking for academic vocabulary and essential understandings; conduct snapshot observations to listen for verbal use of academic math language (with the support of the Math Liaisons); conduct field observations of student journals and/or problem solving strategies before the implementation of Math Share Sessions and after; Post open-ended questions to stimulate inquiry (further action research) on created blogsite to monitor culture and climate.
Outcome #3- The purpose of the Vertical Math Team is to increase the ownership of responsibility and degree of shared accountability for conceptual, foundational TEKS instruction for all K-5 Math teachers. Based on classroom benchmark scores, I will conduct a pre-survey using open-ended questions to determine current culture, climate, instructional practices, perceptions, comfort, expertise to identify the depth of need. I will conduct a post-survey using open-ended questions to evaluate progress and degree of implementation.
Outcome #4- The most important outcome is improved student academic performance. As a vertical team of Math Liaisons, we will review actual student assessment booklets and journals. I will conduct student and teachers interviews to determine impact on overall student performance and perceptions. I will share insights with administration, specialists, math liaisons, classroom teachers, the professional/staff development department and the math coordinator.
4. Engaging in Self-Reflection
At this point in our planning phase, even after reading the required material and looking online for more support, I still do not have a clear understanding of what this action research plan should look like during this developmental stage. Everything I have read said that this is the most important stage of a successful action plan, but there does not seem to be examples other than the finished products. My self-reflection questions are as follows: Where can I find sample plans to use as comparisons? What additional research needs to take place in order to speak knowledgeably about my findings? In what (innovative) way will I present my findings? How will I asses my effectiveness? What kinds of survey questions are considered qualitative and quantitative? How can I modify and minimize my choice assessment methods? How can I triangulate my assessment methods? When will be the best time to begin this action research project? Is January too late?
7. Taking action for school improvement
See SIP or PIP Plan in Part 2 which will go through a revision process next week.
8. Sustaining improvement
I am optimistic that this action research project will evolve over time through the collaborative efforts of our grade level Math Liaisons. I can already predict mini-workshops concerning Higher-Order questioning strategies, Academic Math Vocabulary, and teaching with Depth and Complexity.
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