Sunday, June 12, 2011

Action Research Plan

With increased focus on maximizing student performance on standardized tests, benchmarks, on the district, state, and national levels, as well as the classroom, the question arises, “Are we doing the best in our classroom to enhance the maximization of student’s performance?”
There is much research that supports some tiny changes in classrooms can have a great impact on students. Creating a classroom that is a comfortable, welcoming room might have a very positive learning environment impact on students.  With some prior research, I wanted to se we what kind of impact this would have on my incoming sixth graders that will be seventh graders in the 2011-2012 school year.  I will be the only teacher conducting class with these changes.
Through my research I found an interesting brain research suggestion about attention span.  Attention span of a person is their age in minutes.  With that information, I pursued my action plan with some ‘tweaking’ of my daily lesson plans to incorporate some learning activities within those plans.
I will be looking at the grades from the prior years according to standards to find a baseline of knowledge for each student, and track their progress on each standard through the next school year-2011/2012. 
My expectation is the student progress will be phenomenal as well as minimal discipline issues due to the engaged student learning that will take place.



Action Planning Template
Goal:  To Maximize Student Academic Performance
Action Steps(s):
Person(s) Responsible:
Timeline: Start/End
Needed Resources
Evaluation

Make classroom more personalized like a room in a home.
Paint, other renovations to room—Area rug, furniture, shelves


Lighting-




Aromatherapy



Tawnia King

6/13-8/13

Paint, brushes, drop clothes









3 Lamps
Take out every other fluorescent lights

Diffusing oil and sticks


Lesson Plan Update







Tawnia King

6/10-8/31

Lesson Plans, Standards Activities Internet





























Sunday, June 5, 2011

Lessons learned in Week Two

Action Research is very beneficial in all aspects of education.  Not only does it give feedback to the author, it also allows participant buy-in to a new idea or concept as well as ownership to a potential solution to a problem very relevant to the campus.   I have heard every year for the last 15 years in education "Oh I wonder what program adminitration is going to push on us this year?"  I can totally see action research working to eliminate this type of start to the year! 

Sunday, May 29, 2011

How do students learn best? How can we implement and assess a proposed solution?

Just as each is defined, the name "action research", infers an action of change based upon some kinds of research.  Action Research is a process of gaining knowledge and understanding about a program, need, desire, dream for a school concern or need.  It is an inquiry seeking out change enabling the responsible person to reflect by asking, gathering data from the answers to those questions, gather more information, analyze, making changes based on the findings of new knowledge gained by the answers and other analyzed information.

It is cyclic--it is a process that involves constant review and reconstruction. It is not a program but rather a process of reflection, collected data, personal input, analysis, and constant engagement.  For example, my action research topic of creating a successful learning environment, I would pose as an inquiry to my staff and very possibly through my blog.

    Whether in a desk or laying on the floor, how would students prefer a classroom to look and feel? 
     If a video game can hold a student's attention or hours, as a teacher, I say I want some of that. 
    What do I need to do to create such an environment?  Change seating, lights, appearance of
     classroom more into a comfortable, inviting setting? 

As a principal, I could throw this out to my staff and gather immediate information as to where my staff is with this.  Just as a fisherman throws a line out, he knows as he reels in if he has any takers and where there might be some snags. From this inquiry, I know who my 'takers' are and those who are going to be non-takers and how many.  Based on the numbers of non takers, I might do another inquiry that would stress the need to succeed and what success looks like before forging forward.

Use of blogs as an educational leader, are limitless.  They can be used for feedback on any school issue, recommendation, or implementation.  Every program needs some type of assessment.  Blogs are a great way to get feedback on a program from all involved parties.

Blogs are a great way to disseminate information.  It is easy as typing an email!  I plan on having a blog for each of my classes next year so I can open discussion for my students in case of problems with homework. I am planning a blogspot for my parents so they can know exactly what is going on in class.

I am very excited about using a blog as feedback to my proposal and getting the 'free' advice of those much wiser than I to guide the path of this developing idea.  Blogs can offer wise 'free' advice and knowledge. 

I welcome your thoughts and ideas.