Reflections of 5301

Perhaps one of the most important things I learned during this course was that action research will empower me to effect real and positive change in my education and the education of many others. While I have come to terms with the idea that the demands on my time as a principal will be staggering I now know that “inquiry is one tool that can be used by principals to untangle the intricate web of demands in which they become entangled each day, take change of their own professional development, and become the “head learner” of their school.” (Dana, 2009) Conducting action research will enable me to better myself while taking action based on what I have learned. In truth, any good practictioner conducts research of one sort or another if they feel there is something “missing” or a wondering that they feel is important to follow up with. If a teacher truly desires to have successful, well prepared students, then research is a key componet in the educational process. Without acknowledging it I have been conducting action research of one form or another since I began teaching in 1994. Although I did not formalize it I examined learning styles, methodology, and literature in order to create what “works” with my students.
Collaboration is the cornerstone of my craft. During this class, and many others previously, I have relied on the wisdom and knowledge of my colleagues. Without collaboration I would not be the practitioner I am nor will I be the administrator I hope to be. Through the use of blogs and the weekly discussion I formed an idea for my action research. My colleagues, whether they knew it or not, helped me form my inquiry and basis for action through something as little as a comment detailing their experiences. As a future administrator I will utilize blogging as a source of support and information. Blogging is a practical tool for busy professionals who want to form collegial relationships with people in their situation. Classroom teachers all over my district use blogs as an avenue of communication with their parents and other teachers. I hope to blog with my students this year as way to generate interest in Texas History. That being said the only way that a blog is useful is if people respond and provide relevant, useful feedback. One of the frustrating aspects of the course was that there were times when there were too few comments but on the whole I found it to be a useful practice.
The textbooks, the Dana and Harris alike, provided sage, relevant advice for any person wishing to conduct research. I found myself referring to the Dana text more often simply because the jargon and vernacular appealed to me. At one point I found myself reading page 67 of the Dana textbook several times over as I was contemplating my inquiry. “Be sure your question is: clear, concise, and specific; one whose answer you do not already know; free of judgemental language; phrased as an open-ended rather than dichotomous question; and “doable”.” (Dana, 2009) As I readied myself to begin the research process I thought questions over several times before settling on my topic.
In conclusion, this class was a confirmation that learning never stops, even after our degrees are conferred. Action research is a tool we can implement any time we feel that we need to stretch our mind or improve the quality of education on our campus. After all “The ultimate test of practical leadership is the realization of intended, real change that meets people’s enduring needs.” (benShea, 2000) – James MacGregor Burns.


Works Cited
benShea, Noah (2000). What Every Principal Would Like to Say…and What to Say Next Time. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading With Passion and Knowledge. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

Action Agreed, Research Needed

One of the topics I discussed with my site supervisor was campus discipline. We both indicated it would be a terrific action research to identify the most common discipline infraction (with the exception of tardies), what consequences were assigned for this infraction and who seemed to repeat the infraction the most. Since then, another more pressing discipline issue has arisen. We have had several students repeatedly visit the AP’s office and exhausted our discipline consequences such as ISS, OSS, and DAEP. The question is how to intervene early in the process before a student is assigned to an alternative campus.
Another topic that I discussed with my site supervisor was teaming. Teaming was new to our campus last year. We are interested in finding out the effectiveness of teaming on the overall campus culture. Another area we were interested in was the effect teaming had on student interventions and success.
Although both topics were quite interesting we decided that the discipline study was a more pressing issue that needed action. One of the negative issues that my district must confront is our high rate of minority students assigned to DAEP or JJAEP. My campus principal wants me to study discipline referrals across the board, disaggregate the data based on certain indicators such as race, gender, SES, Education status, and grade level. What we are hoping to find is some sort of common denominator that we can isolate and design an intervention to head off consequences that involve exclusion from instruction. Any time a student misses instruction is lost knowledge and skills. So, I have my "marching orders" and I am off to the campus on Monday to gather initial data.

Reason for the research

Discipline has long been an issue on my campus. The biggest complaint teachers have on the campus is that the A.P.’s do not “do enough” when dealing with our frequent flyers to the A.P.’s office. Most teachers want the student excluded from class as a way to control discipline issues in their classrooms. What must be recognized is that even the repeat offenders are entitled to a free, appropriate public education despite their discipline issues. There will be some students who have exhausted all district sanctioned consequences like DAEP or JJAEP. In an effort to shed some light on the subject I have decided to investigate discipline referrals on our campus over two years. I will disaggregate the data based on several factors: race, gender, SES status, educational status, and other issues such as at-risk status or retention. By doing so I hope to isolate a group or groups who tend to have the most infractions leading to exclusion thereby giving the campus an idea of who to target for early intervention or character education. Although it is not politic to just isolate one group of students who might have discipline issues we may be able to use various interventions through the A.P. or counseling office to head off discipline issues before they lead to exclusion. It is my intention to share my findings with the campus administration and, if approval is given, with the campus staff. My hope is that we will adopt a character education program for the campus to better control discipline before a referral is written. Teaching our students is not just about books and papers but also citizenship.

Goal/Objective of action research: Identify student population with the most discipline referrals that resulted in exclusion from classroom for extended periods of time. Identify escalating behavior and trends.

Activities to achieve objectives: Obtain discipline data from the Assistant Principals office. Disaggregate the data based on gender, ethnicity, SES status, educational status, and other at-risk identifiers. Number of discipline referrals will also be included along with number of days excluded from home campus or classroom instruction due to ISS, OSS, DAEP, or JJAEP. Create an excel spread sheet with data and pie chart of data.

Resources and research tools needed for data gathering: I will need data from our View-It software program pertaining to discipline referrals. I will also reference the Student Handbook, and CISD Policies for discipline issues on campus.

Draft timeline for completion or implementation of activities: I will begin gathering information at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year from the 2008 and 2009 school year to compare to the 2010 school year. Completion should be May or June of 2011 with an action plan for prevention.

Persons responsible for implementation of the action research plan: School principal, Assistant Principal, Testing Coordinator, and myself.
Process for monitoring the achievement of goals and objectives: As a campus administrative intern I will be working closely with the Assistant Principal’s office this year therefore I will access the needed information weekly and update my information as needed.

Assessment instrument(s) to evaluate the effectiveness of the research study: Through comparing the data from two previous schools years to the current one I will be able to ascertain if the campus discipline plan is effective at preventing exclusions. If it is proven that the discipline plan is ineffective I can implement another study of alternative discipline plans for campus improvement.

Action Research Determined

One of the topics I discussed early in my internship with my site supervisor, Mr. Fuller, was campus discipline. We both indicated it would be a terrific action research to identify the most common discipline infraction (with the exception of tardies), what consequences were assigned for this infraction and who seemed to repeat the infraction the most. Since then, another more pressing discipline issue has arisen. We have had several students repeatedly visit the AP’s office and exhausted our discipline consequences such as ISS, OSS, and DAEP. The question is how to intervene early in the process before a student is assigned to an alternative campus.
Another topic that I discussed with my site supervisor was teaming. Teaming was new to our campus last year. We are interested in finding out the effectiveness of teaming on the overall campus culture. Another area we were interested in was the effect teaming had on student interventions and success.
Finally I was assigned a project we called “Eagles Camp”. This was an overall orientation and induction for our students during the first two days of instruction. The purpose of Eagles Camp was to establish our campus culture and set high expectations early in the year. The action research would be to determine if the orientation had any effect on the overall school climate through a study of discipline referrals and early common assessments.

The topic we decided I would investigate would be a qualitative study of alternative discipline techniques as an overall early intervention. The purpose of this study would be to explore alternatives to traditional discipline consequences like detention, or In School Suspension. We feel that if the campus adopts a discipline plan or character education program then it is possible our students would be less at risk for severe discipline consequences.

Action Research and It's Place in Education

The business of education is getting busier! Today, more than ever before, educators are under pressure to show how they have helped their students learn and develop. Sometimes all the tricks in the book do not seem to help and a teacher or an administrator is left to wonder what more could be done. This week I learned that action research would answer this question and many others. Action research is "the process of a principal engaging in a systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what he/she learns as a result." (Dana, 2009) The principal seeks to discard old practices in favor of new strategies based on the data at hand. It is timely, proactive endeavor. The administrator does not have to engage in action research alone. He/she can enlist others through developing a Professional Learning Community of fellow principals or even assign parts of the research to the campus leadership team as a way to build collegial relationships. Any way it is served up action research is "intended to bring about change of some kind." (Dana, 2009) In our busy education world, action research can be conducted over a year or a semester and can have a profound positive affect on the students we mean to educate.

Dana, Nancy Fichtman Leading With Passion and Knowledge, Corwin, Thousand Oaks, 2009

Educational leaders can use blogs for several reasons. One use of a blog is to inform. My child's second grade teacher kept a weekly blog that catalogued the events of the week and her favorite parts of each one. It was a terrific way to keep up to date with my child's experience at school. Students and professionals alike may use blogging to seek support or exchange helpful information. Before I posted my blog I read four other postings as a way to help "center" my thoughts. I am not sure I succeeded. I am hoping to set up a blog for my students this year as way to build interest in Texas History.

Can't Decide What to Research

There are two research topics that I have been pondering.

Topic One: bullying in schools, its impact on students and school climate. My school formed a Safe School Ambassador program two years ago and now the program has been moved into our feeder high school. Does the SSA program postively impact student achievement?

Issue Two: if "All means ALL" in my district then why can't we address the issue of students who will not or cannot go on to college after high school. We should be preparing all types of learners for the next step in life, sometimes that is not college. Does vocational/certification have a "place" in our AYP, NCLB, AEIS world?

What do you think?