Action research revised

Week 3 Assignment, Part 3

Draft Action Research Project Progress Report

Action Research Report Components

Directions:

·         Using the following eight outline elements, write your paper at the end of this assignment document in the space entitled Draft Action Research Project Report.

a.       Action research Plan and Title – To improve the 3^rd grade academic student performance for the STAAR reading test through the Utilization of the best language (Spanish or English) and facilitation of the best practices and foundational bilingual support for students. Selection of the language in which the 3^rd grade bilingual students will take the STAAR reading 3^rd grade test based on a study of action research.    (5 points)

1.       Needs Assessment – Does the explicit teaching of the TEKS standards enhance English Language learner’s performance on the STAAR reading test and which language should they test to make certain they are successful? Curriculum standards were designed to ensure every student gained the same education as his or her peers. However, these curricula did not account for the English versus Spanish variations and the types of learners each classroom possesses. Every student does not learn the same way. Now that this has been established, a sampling of 42 third grade students were selected to test a theory of early exit versus maintaining students in the bilingual program for the recommended 6 years based on research and the new district recommendation. By varying the techniques of instruction through the use of English or Spanish, the teacher can ensure each student’s needs are met and provide them with every opportunity to succeed in the language that the student is more comfortable when taking the 3^rd grade reading STAAR test.

2.       Objectives and Vision of the action research project. (ELCC 1.1) –Since every student does not respond to the same method or language of instruction, it is the teacher’s responsibility to find various avenues to reach each and every student. According to Tracey Hall, senior research scientist for the National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum, “To differentiate instruction is to recognize students varying background knowledge, readiness, language, preferences in learning, interests, and to react responsively” (Hall, 2002). Differentiated instruction is a method of changing teaching and learning for students with different language abilities within the same classroom environment.  The use of English and Spanish falls into the category of differentiating instruction.  Utilizing the language that the student is more comfortable with also augments the relationship between teacher and student. If the correct selection of language is identified and used effectively; and teachers take on the role of mentor rather than teacher. Also, using the right language when mastering reading helps make the student's learning experience more meaningful and fun.

3.       Review of the Literature and Action Research Strategy – A few References to theories that guide my action research :

Cohen, E. G., R. Lotan and L. Catanzarite. "Can expectations for competence be altered in the classroom." In M. Webster, Jr. and M. Foschi (Eds.), Status generalization: New theory and research , 2001
This paper looks at nine bilingual elementary school classes in the San Jose area to determine how student language misconceptions affect the classroom. The children in the classrooms work together at learning centers and solve problems involving math and science concepts. The authors examine the data obtained from these classrooms to see whether the effects of student characteristics, such as having a first language other than English, can be altered.

Figueroa, R. A. and E. Garcia. "Issues in Testing Students from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds." In Multicultural Education , Fall 1994.University Press, 1988, pp. 27-54)
Figueroa and Garcia approach the task of educating limited English proficiency students from an assessment standpoint. They believe that these students often do not develop either their first or second language to its fullest potential because of an emphasis on learning English quickly rather than developing skills and engaging in content-area learning.

Ellis, N. E. "Collaborative Interaction for the Improvement of Teaching." Teaching and Teacher Education , 6:3, pp. 267-77, 1990.

This reference looks at the effects of the implementation of collaborative interactions among elementary school teachers within an instructional science program for bilingual classrooms, and suggests that frequency and structured quality of collaborative meetings among teachers affected the quality of the implementation of the program.

4.       Articulate the Vision (ELCC 1.2) –  A group of all the 3^rd grade bilingual teachers addressed the need to differentiate instruction further to help English language learners build skills and confidence when while reading in both languages.  My research has been shared to a diverse group of people consisting students, teachers, specialist, parents and other administrators. Deer Park ISD has used oral presentations in the form of PLC meetings and staff development training to explain to the Deer Park Elementary school staff the purpose for the action research. We have sent data information to parents and other schools regarding the need for improvement in this area. Any data presented has been evaluated. This would give me an opportunity the change any growing concern for student performance in our school. I have used blogs, teacher grade level communication and emails to gain valuable feedback.

5.        Manage the organization (ELCC 3.1) – We spoke with the principal and the campus curriculum coordinator about our idea for action research.  They were both supportive and were looking forward to the results. The students were given a very brief overview of the project. Parents were notified with a letter regarding the project and were invited to contact us if they had any questions. A copy of the action plan was submitted to the Bilingual director for comments and concerns.                                                                          As a part of the focus of study, the collaborating teachers gathered a group of 22 third grade bilingual students who were either Spanish dominant or English dominant readers. Our school has collaborated using team grade level chairs and reading specialists to review job descriptions and evaluation strategies using current reading standards. (For example , current reading STAAR standards will be used as a guide to indicate students needs according to objectives they scored poorly on TAKS). Following the meeting with the committee or team I will meet with each member to discuss their major duties, concerns, and recommendations for improvement.

6.       Manage Operations (ELCC 3.2) – The student's progress through this study was based on various criteria.  During the process of the action research plan development I was in charge of routinely meeting with the staff responsible for the implementation of the action research project; the teachers were required to record the data. Using this data, I planned with the reading specialist to develop a professional development training including current evaluations and future needs. Other data includes three district assessments one for the beginning, middle, and ending of the school year. STAAR assessment data was evaluated for only one year because it is a recent test; while the TAKS assessment data was evaluated for the previous three years. The team involved did build a concern about the lack of Reading LAB time for the 3^rd grade teachers which was later resolved by having classroom teachers plan with the reading/technology lab specialist every week in order to be able to continue having Reading Lab exercises done in the classroom. Another method of determining the student's success was the use of I-Stations in Spanish or English.  Each month, the student would be tested to determine his or her overall growth in text fluency, letter knowledge, phonemic awareness, alphabetic decoding, comprehension, vocabulary, and spelling.  Another method of assessment was the students overall achievement on weekly reading activities and assessments.

7.        Respond to Community Interest and Needs (ELCC 4.2) – The action research project will serve the needs of the 3^rd grade bilingual students and students with diverse backgrounds (cultural, ethnic, economic, or special interest groups) by helping the student build confidence in his or her reading skills in the language that he or she is more comfortable and successful.   The ELL students will benefit from this action research. The teachers will benefit by figuring out what teaching techniques or how information must be presented in order to improve passing rate on the reading STAAR test by the ELL student population. The school as a whole will benefit, the students individually, the teacher morale, the school district and the community.

EDLD 5326 community relations

The web conference was very helpful to clarify some of my misunderstandings on the class assignments and the action research project that is always in conjunction with the classes. I have attended the meetings at each class and it has been very helpful to hear classmates talk about their issues with the action research project; as well as others who have provided input into mine. The detailed syllabus have kept us on task and when the time comes to participate in one of the web conferences everyone is ready to ask about questions pertaining the action research project or with technological issues with Tk 20.

week 3,4 and 5 action research

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Reflection on EDLD 5301 Research

Before commencing this course, EDLD 5301 Research, I had an idea what to expect because I had conducted research for marketing before.  I had heard a colleague state that it was going to be a difficult class.  I was eager to begin this class and to be the best I can be at action research. 

            The readings that were included with this course were very informative and helpful.  Leading with Passion and Knowledge: the Principal as an Action Researcher by Nancy Dana Fichman and Examining What we do to Improve our Schools: 8 Steps to Improve our Schools by S. Harris, S. Edmondson, and J. Combs. Both books were very informative.  In the book Leading with Passion and Knowledge: the Principal as an Action Researcher, “Administrator inquiry refers to the process of a principal engaging in systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what he/she learns as a result of the inquiry.  Inquiring professionals seek out change and reflect on their practice by posing questions or “wondering”, collecting data to gain insights into their wonderings, analyzing the data along with reading relevant literature, making changes in practice based on new understandings developed during inquiry, and sharing findings with others (Dana p.2-3).”  This process is a long process and does require a well thought out plan that takes quite a bit of time.  I found this process somewhat demanding of my own time since I am currently a teacher and I also own a business that sells medical equipment to Latin America.  It will take a lot of time and effort once the plan is in place. 

               With the use of the blog for this class, it was amazing being able to see and communicate with others in my class as well as followers outside of my class and rely on reactions and feedback from them as well on any suggestions or changes that needed to be made to my Action Research Plan.   Blogging is a tool that I will use throughout my teaching career I was under the impression that it was an entertainment tool for younger people.

               With the use of the tools and resources received from this course, it will make the process of implementing my Action Research Plan as smooth as being a 30 year old veteran pilot landing a commercial airplane.  I will use the information I acquired to follow through with my current Action Research plan and in the future to also create new action research plans to seek the continuous improvement my campus needs in order to increase student achievement. 

The Force Field Analysis: are forces that drive change accompanied by forces that resist change.  In order for change to occur, the driving forces for the change must exceed the resisting forces against the change. The Force Field Analysis looks at the pros and cons of a situation and allows you to weigh both sides before making a decision. Once a decision is made, the committee can create a plan for implementation.

Example of Force Field Analysis: A bilingual curriculum director concerned of making improvements can propose a district improvement plan to create consensus by leading the committee with the possible driving and resisting forces of the potential change. After identifying the force field forces the committee can develop a plan that specifies strategies to address the driving and resisting forces.

How I can use Force Field Analysis:

During my Action Research Project I could use the Force Field Analysis method so those involved could share their pros and cons. Once we have discussed all of the pros and cons, we can then begin to work together to develop our plan of action.

The Delphi Method: relies on a panel of individuals who would be part and affected by the decision or change.  The individuals respond to questions in several or two rounds made through email.  Data is gathered through questionnaires with several rounds taking place until a consensus is reached.  After each round, the facilitator provides a summary of the answers given and provides a rationale for those answers. As the process continues, the range of responses decrease as well as the individuals converges to a consensus.

Example of the Delphi Method: The Delphi method is the technique that most educators have been exposed to the most because the Principals use it often during after school meetings. It starts with a question about a problem; for example after school dismissal, then the staff writes the written ideas that are collected without any discussion, then the comments are collected and reproduced into one list that is synthesized at a later time due to time restriction, after the ideas or possible solutions are synthesized the list is sent by email or revealed at the next faculty meeting, the participants are asked to rank the items, the list is once again given back after the scores are tallied or re-ranked, finally the decision on the dismissal problem is selected from the group consensus.

How I can use the Delphi Method: I can employ the Delphi Method to develop a deeper understanding about the action research topic amongst the group. It can be utilized as a tool to identify ways to sustain school improvement while looking at the future needs of the school. It will built consensus among the action research group by building consensus on a well thought out converged idea.

The Nominal Group Technique: is a 5 step process that is led by a facilitator normally in a faculty meeting.  The facilitator is not judgmental nor do they allow judgmental comments from the participants in the meeting. The nominal group technique involves staff members and a facilitator, such as the principal, starting with each individual writing needs/issues of the school with no conversation. Then each individual shares their information, facilitator writes all the comments down, and still there is no discussion. Next, each group of educators discusses the needs/issues listed; once the discussion is over they rewrite the information and rate it with a numerical value. During the process, the facilitator keeps a peaceful or secure atmosphere were the educators feel safe to contribute.

Example of the Nominal Group technique: An example that employs this technique might come about by creating a nominal group that consists of several people gathered in one room. This group might be exposed to a problem like increasing math scores. This group can easily discuss the math problem at a faculty meeting,where the participants are prepared to work as a team to resolve the decreasing math scores. This sharing of ideas to solve the devreasing math scores; which are anonymously submitted promotes a sense of involvement and motivation within the group. The group converges on a solution to the decreasing math scores by contributing to a consensus.

 

How I can use the Nominal Group technique:

The Nominal Group Technique could be used to allow those involved to propose a need that they feel is important to them and/or their classrooms. Once all of those involved have stated their needs, we could talk through them all to agree on what our focus is going to be to begin with and where we could continue to grow.

SUMMARY:

After reading and reviewing these methods, I learned that all three strategies were led by facilitators but included affected individuals to create change that leads to school improvement.  All three of these strategies can easily be incorporated on any campus to build collaboration as well as incorporate a sense of confidentiality among educators.  These strategies involve everyone involved in school improvement and student achievement and should be an integral part of decision making on campus instead of leaving the decision making solely on the administrators. 

Sandra Harris, Stacey Edmonson, and Julie Combs. (2010). Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools: 8 Steps from Analysis to Action. New York: Eye on Education, Inc.

Tool 8.1 CARE Model: Planning Tool

Identify Concerns that must change (look to the future)

(Assign points to concerns from 1 to 3 in the order of the most important issues to consider.)

1. Increase 3^rd grade English Language Learner student achievement on the STAAR reading test.

2. Meet the reading needs of all English Language Learners in the classroom all year.

3. Attending additional professional development over ELL Reading techniques.

Identify Affirmations that must be sustained (look to the present)

(Assign points to affirmations from 1 to 3 in the order of the most important issues to consider.)

1. Rigorous instruction by all the 3^rd grade English Language Learner teachers.
2. Full commitment by all the 3^rd grade English Language Learner teachers.

3. Dedicating time to analyze data and plan instructions accordingly.

SMART Recommendations that must be implemented:

(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely)

(Assign points to recommendations from 1 to 3 in the order of the most important recommendations to implement.)

1. English Language Learner Students will master 3^rd grade STAAR reading preparation assessments with a minimum of 80% every Friday during the second semester.
2. English Language Learner Students will master 3^rd grade mid spring mock STAAR release test with a minimum of 80%.
3. 3^rd grade English Language Learner Teachers will re-evaluate their classroom SMART goals every six weeks.

EVALUATE – Specifically and Often

(Identify the best ways to evaluate the implemented recommendations.)

1. Managing by walking around; teacher walk through is performed twice a month or more often if needed.

2. Collaborative meetings- twice a month or more often if needed or requested by those involved.

3. Assessments- District issued 3^rd grade reading ELL benchmarks every 9 weeks, STAAR testing.

Sandra Harris, Stacey Edmonson, and Julie Combs. (2010). Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools: 8 Steps from Analysis to Action. New York: Eye on Education, Inc.

Goal 

The purpose of my research is to study the trend that shows the 3rd grade ELL readers having a difficult time with 3^rd grade STAAR reading test and to ultimately find a solution to increase the scores on the 3^rd grade STAAR reading test. As an educator it is crucial to find out why the3rd grade ELL students are having such a difficult time with the STAAR reading test. The purpose of this study is to be able to increase scores and help all teachers involved with deciphering what skills need to be taught, how the particular skills need to be presented to the students and most importantly in what language the 3rd grade ELL student population should be taught.

Action Steps:

• First, we need to improve the assessment system used to monitor student’s progress in order to decipher what language must be used to improve reading performance of the STAAR reading test.
• Second, design an intervention program that satisfies the needs of the ELL students, examples might be: an after school tutorial program, a web based reading program, incentives.

• Third, form a committee that is a vertically aligned across all school grade levels. There are three campuses that make up the Pre-k to 5^th grade student population.

• Fourth, study teachers that are being successful at attaining better average scores than their teaching peers and find out if there is a correlation due to better teaching techniques or as a result of separating students into clusters of higher reading level.

Persons Responsible:

The persons responsible for the implementation of the action research will include all of the 3^rd grade bilingual teachers, the principal, the assistant principal, the SBDM committee which is comprised of all the team leaders (3^rd, 4^th and fifth), the counselor, communities in schools coordinator, reading specialist, math specialist, PTO president, the librarian, the speech pathologist, the gifted and talented specialist, the head special education teacher, the physical education teacher, the art teacher and the peer facilitator. The implementation of the action research will include all parties to solicit their input to make certain the project is supported and welcomed by all from beginning until its completion.

Timeline:

The draft timeline for completion or implementation of the activities or action steps mentioned above will be implemented after Spring break to have ample time to collect the baseline data for future comparison purposes. The action research project will continue throughout the 2012-2013 academic school period to make certain that a full year of data collection, observations, and future implementations to improve 3^rd grade ELL STAAR reading scores are recorded, proven and validated entirely. The beginning date for the action research timeline is February 2012 and the end of the action research project will take effect in April 2013 or when the final 3^rd grade reading STAAR test results are revealed to the school.

Needed Resources:

Resources and research tools needed for data gathering are the following:

·        Time- from February 2012 until the end of the school year in 2013 or when 3^rd grade English Language Learners STAAR reading test scores are revealed.

·        People- All of the 3^rd grade bilingual teachers, the principal, the assistant principal, the SBDM committee which is comprised of all the team leaders (3^rd, 4^th and fifth), the counselor, communities in schools coordinator, reading specialist, math specialist, PTO president, the librarian, the speech pathologist, the gifted and talented specialist, the head special education teacher, the physical education teacher, the art teacher and the peer facilitator.

·        Support- Support from the other two elementary campuses in gathering data will be requested. Support from parents will be requested.

·        Equipment- A computer or laptop to have access to all of the data already collected within the school district. Promethean board and equipment to present the action research project to the parties mentioned above.

·        Training- The staff will need to be trained to create a common goal and understanding of the action research project. Once the data is analyzed and we find a solution or another question it will have to be shared with everyone in the school.

·        Resources- Due to budget reductions if there are any costs involved with the action research project; I will have to cover the future expenses.

Monitoring process:

Process for monitoring the achievement of goals and objectives of the action research project must be implemented to secure communication and to decipher what is functioning or not. The successful implementation of any plan needs monitoring at all times. Monitoring mainly includes formative assessments.

·        The SBDM committee already meets every month; the action research project committee will meet every other month to discuss any findings or changes to the project.

·        Communication via email will be established to have a weekly exchange of information.

·        A brief meeting agenda will be displayed on the PowerPoint presentation.

·        Regular progress reports will be distributed with the current reading scores for the 3^rd grade ELL student population to have a better picture of where we are as a group.

·        Communication will be ongoing to maintain accountability and to create ownership with the action research action steps.

Evaluation component:

Assessment instruments to evaluate the effectiveness of the action research study are essential for the validity of the action research study. The evaluation of the action research will be conducted in various forms and at the agreed time schedules. Documentation of all steps and events will be recorded to have valid outcomes and high quality action research project results. The summative evaluation should include quantitative data and qualitative data. The summative evaluation will help decipher what worked and what did not work. The summative evaluation is a wise method because it combines several evaluation components into one report.

·        We are going to use several different forms of quantitative data, as well as some qualitative means. Specific ways to evaluate outcomes that can be utilized are: attendance records, special program data, referrals, Tejas Lee scores, STAAR scores, TPRI scores, Lexia, Iowa reading scores, Aprenda reading scores, DRA scores, benchmark scores, TAKS scores, Reading class grades, student folder, meeting agendas, classroom observations, open ended surveys, Interview students, Interview teachers, and Interview parents.

week 2 action research

Reflection or comment regarding lessons learned from Week Two.

When I commenced the Research course, I was a little overwhelmed but as I read and familiarize with the true meaning of action research I began to feel comfortable with the topic. Action research will allow me to focus on an area that I am passionate about and see it through to the end. I have watched principals that I have worked for in the past become so occupied with their duties that not all things end up being completed.   At my first campus our focus was on maintaining student performance on the TAKS as an exemplary campus. Although this was a reacheable endeavor, as a campus the time was never taken to research the true reason students were performing well or not even look at instructional strategies being implemented by teachers who had experienced success with students. It wasn't until the scores decreased that we began searching for answers. In a period of three years the campus fell from Exemplary to unnacepatable status and teachers started to leave what once was a family of teachers.  I believe action research could have helped this campus out tremendously. By simply asking a few questions, the school could have maintained exemplary status. Some of the questions could have been: What are effective instructional strategies that are being utilized in classrooms to maintain achievement? Are there certain groups of students showing signs of decreasing scores? What strategies or interventions do we have in place to help these students? I am a firm believer that action research will allow me to focus on what might start out as a big idea, but ultimately it will be broken into smaller pieces of information. Action research will become my reinforced vessel as I sail to become an educational leader.  

Action Research Journeys by Luis Alcala

Reflection or comment regarding lessons learned from Week Two.

When I commenced the Research course, I was a little overwhelmed but as I read and familiarize with the true meaning of action research I began to feel comfortable with the topic. Action research will allow me to focus on an area that I am passionate about and see it through to the end. I have watched principals that I have worked for in the past become so occupied with their duties that not all things end up being completed.   At my first campus our focus was on maintaining student performance on the TAKS as an exemplary campus. Although this was a reacheable endeavor, as a campus the time was never taken to research the true reason students were performing well or not even look at instructional strategies being implemented by teachers who had experienced success with students. It wasn't until the scores decreased that we began searching for answers. In a period of three years the campus fell from Exemplary to unnacepatable status and teachers started to leave what once was a family of teachers.  I believe action research could have helped this campus out tremendously. By simply asking a few questions, the school could have maintained exemplary status. Some of the questions could have been: What are effective instructional strategies that are being utilized in classrooms to maintain achievement? Are there certain groups of students showing signs of decreasing scores? What strategies or interventions do we have in place to help these students? I am a firm believer that action research will allow me to focus on what might start out as a big idea, but ultimately it will be broken into smaller pieces of information. Action research will become my reinforced vessel as I sail to become an educational leader.  

    

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT ACTION RESEARCH.

First I will defined the two types of research in order to have a better understanding of the differences between Action and traditional methods. Action research; is research that reflects on actual practice and generates alternative ways to upgrade practice. Researchers look from within their job area, examine what they are doing, examine their thinking, and how they feel; and then search to edify ways to upgrade their practice. It is reflection and inquiry to improve practice. Traditional Research; is research led by researchers and reverberates concern for objectivity and institutes generalized truths. Looks at what others are doing and proceeds not to get personally involved.

Traditional                                                           

 -What others are doing                                                      

-Seeks explanation and truth                                       

-Strive for knowledge                                 

-Removed from research site

  

Both                                                                                                   

-Data Collection                                                                                                   

-Inquiry                                                                                                

-Problem Solving 

 Action

 -What one is personally doing?                                                                                     

 -Strive for personal development and planned change

-Reflective

-Seek continuous change 

  -Personally involved at research site

One of the great characteristics of action research in educational settings is that it is conducted by people from the “inside” for by people from the inside. That is the major difference between action research and traditional research. Action research leads to principal inquiry inside the workplace.

Another example of action research in the educational setting is known as PLCs, as an administrator I would propose that professional learning communities be instituted at the local setting in the same manner as it has been accomplished nationally. The article reveals some of advantages and disadvantages of the PLCs but I would like to see more information on PLCs at a rural setting. For instance, if your school is located in or around a metropolitan area the possibility of inviting professionals to participate on a certain subject would be more certain than if you are working at a rural school. The ability for administrators to meet frequently once a week to actively engage in action research could help a school immediately. For example, if I work as an administrator at DPISD near Houston and I meet once a week with the principals from every school in the district. My expectations are that by the 4th meeting we would have sufficient data to gauge if our action research is working or not at each school that is participating.

Examples that were listed in the article gave me a complete perspective in regards to ways that action research can be used in the school setting. The first idea is that during district meetings, there can be time to reflect and discuss issues in an interactive manner. If the meeting is composed exclusively with administrators, many of the announcements can be passed down vertically via campus email down the chain of command to teachers.

 Example of how I can use Action Research:

One personal example of action research at my previous school is the following; we started with the question: “What can we provide for effective fiction and nonfiction reading instruction for first and-second grade English language learners who are limited readers or non-readers?” We began by forming a vertical committee or PLC that included kinder to third grade to devise a plan to begin the literature research project by gathering articles that we felt would be of interest. We each read the articles and set aside a day to report our findings back to the group. We also collected as much information as possible on our target students. We looked at their past records and at their current programs. Then we had to determine where we would go from here. This was the most difficult time for our team. We chose among strategies that we had either discussed or read about, and then worked with a targeted group of students. Each teacher collected data and then looked to see how her own practice might be improved. This was a crucial decision because looking at your own teaching is real professional development. Working With the Students is the key to be involved and recognize what is needed. My part in the project was to work each morning with three of our target second-grade students. They would sit with me at the computer lab and we would write a few sentences about what they were doing in school. This became a daily log that was sent home to parents. Students had to read what they wrote to their parents and the parents had to sign the newspaper and return it to school. In later editions, we began to have students ask the parents for feedback. As students sat with me and we talked, I was able to help them build and write sentences in English. The process was easy and non-threatening. We also talked about vocabulary and what concepts they were learning in their other content areas. We wrote articles to inform their parents about this. The concept of writing a daily log describing what the students are doing in school can be applied the same in any language.

Our findings were very productive and we continued with the question: “What makes action research so powerful?” As a team, we interviewed our students and asked for their views on which of our strategies helped them to become stronger readers. It is powerful to listen to students. Even as seasoned teachers, we can make wrong assumptions about how a child is learning. I helped the team do a linguistic analysis of the students’ comments since I am trilingual. For me, this was the most interesting piece. We looked at all the student comments and then charted their responses. For example, we counted how many times they

talked about needing to obtain support from a Spanish/Portuguese speaking teacher. What they said made perfect sense. They needed the most support when their English skills were less developed. This need lessened as they became better English speakers. For us, this supported our own feelings that a few words in Spanish/Portuguese at the right time can make a big difference in their learning. For my own research piece, it was good to learn that most of the parents liked and enjoyed reading the daily logs. By the end of the project, parents were fully engaged and involved in the program.

Action research can be a worthwhile pursuit for educators for a number of reasons. Foremost among these is simply the desire to know more.  The benefits of action research that I was able to identify from my journal readings and personal experience are listed below.

(A) Focus on school issue, problem, or area of collective interest=

Research done with the teacher’s students, in a setting with which the teacher is familiar helps to confer relevance and validity to a disciplined study.

(B) Form of teacher professional development=

Research and reflection allow teachers to grow and gain confidence in their work.

(C) Collegial interactions=

Isolation is one of the downsides of teaching. Teachers are often the sole adult in a room of children.

(D) Potential to impact school change=

As teachers get into action research, they are more apt to look at questions that address school and district concerns rather than questions that affect the individual teacher.

(E) Reflect on own practice=

Opportunities for teachers to evaluate themselves in schools are often few. Action research can serve as a chance to really take a look at one’s own teaching in a structured manner.

(F) Improved communications=

Team work within the school or district brings individuals together for a shared purpose.

HOW EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATORS CAN UTILIZE BLOGS.

While traditional newsletters can be overlooked and lost in bottomless book bags, blogs are timely, accessible, and fun. Principals who use them say that blogs are simple to set up and easily updated. An activity that occurs during the school day can be shared within minutes in text, images, sound, and video. Keeping parents informed through blogging is also better for the environment and costs little but a small investment of time.

Blogs are a free and easy way to connect with the world. The blog serves as a special place to allow others to see our school as we do each day.