Action Research Update for EDLD 5326

My original plan was to improving classroom attendance through my schools “Tardy Sweep” program.  The original plan did not go over very well and now I’ve been focusing and implementing a Ninth Grade Mentoring program at my school.  Members for the program include administrators, teaching staff, counselors and test coordinators.    

The Ninth Grade Mentoring program has received much interest from the teaching staff at my school.  The program has been approved by all principals; teachers are already volunteering and signing up to become mentors for next year.  Community members who are interested have been completing applications and before the end of the year they will go through an interview process to see if they qualify as a community mentor.  Teachers are beginning to recommend good candidates for student mentors as well.

Everything is moving along quicker than expected.  This program won’t come into effect until August 2013 school year when we receive the final names of entering ninth grade at-risk students.  However, at the rate that the Ninth Grade Mentoring program is moving and the interest that I’ve seen,  may allow us to have more ninth grade mentee students which will ultimately improve student achievement. 

There is still much more that needs to be complete before and during this program.  We have questionnaires to complete, data to look at, and once the program comes into effect, with our incoming ninth grade mentees, we will then look at grades, attendance records, discipline referrals and more to see if improvement is being made.

Week 3: Action Plan

Tool 7.1 Action Planning Template
Goal:	To increase student classroom attendance through the implementation of teacher involvement in tardy sweep
Action Steps	Person(s) Responsible	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1. Determine areas of concern for student classroom attendance which could benefit from the implementation of our new tardy sweep method.	Attendance Office, Administrators, Teaching staff, Self	November 2012/ January 2013	School tardy sweep records for last year and this year, student surveys, and teacher surveys	Establish a checklist based on the “needed resources”.
2. Determine the reasons behind poor student classroom attendance. o    Which day of the week has the most tardied students? o    What period has the highest number of late students? o    What reason(s) are behind student tardiness? o    Resolutions for improving student attendance.	Attendance personnel, Administration, Committee members, Teaching staff, Self	November 2012/ December 2012	Student surveys, Teacher surveys, Last year tardy sweep records, This year tardy sweep records	Establish a checklist based on the “needed resources”.
3. Establish a method for the program. o    Determine which teachers would like to volunteer o    Establish a way to keep track of the number of students that are brought back to class.	Principal, Assistant  Principals, Teaching Staff, Self	January 2013/ September2013	List of students brought back to class, List of teacher volunteers	Evaluate results by comparing tardy sweep numbers to determine if our new method is successful and find out what may need to change.
4.        Assign volunteer teachers to certain periods of the day and days of the week.	Principal, Assistant Principals, Teaching Staff, Self	January 2013/ September 2013	List of teacher volunteers, List of teacher assigned periods and days of the week	Analyze assignment outlines, make changes where needed.
5. Evaluate the success of our program through data records, teacher surveys, and student surveys.	Principals, Associate Principals, Attendance personnel, Teaching staff, Self	February 2013/ September 2013	Tardy sweep records, teacher questionnaires, student surveys	Evaluate data records and determine if improvement was achieved.
6.  Share results discovered through my research	Principal, Assistant Principals, Teaching Staff, Committee members, Self	January 2013/ October 2013	Analyzed data, Reflection journals and blogs	Analyze data and determine if success was achieved.

Week 2: Lessons Learned

This week I finalized my research topic by choosing “Student classroom attendance”.  So many students are missing classes for numerous reasons i.e., they don’t like the class, have homework due that isn’t completed, have a project/presentation due etc. and this has become an issue at my school that’s worth investigating and finding a resolution for. 

I’m on a committee and we’re implementing a new tardy sweep method.  If you’re unfamiliar with tardy sweep, it might be called something different where you work, I’ll fill you in on what it is. 

Tardy sweep is where students go to a certain location in school if they are late to class.  Instead of the student disrupting classroom instruction, by walking in late, they’re required to go to a specified location in school, sign in and listen to classical music for 55 minutes.  They’re not allowed to talk, sleep, etc.  Some students use tardy sweep as a “get out of class free pass” however it isn’t a privilege going to tardy sweep.  Some consequences are getting counted late/ absent from class which counts towards not being able to exempt your final exams, each tardy you receive gets you closer to receiving after school detention, Saturday detention or even suspension.

What we’re doing this year is taking about 10 minutes of our conference period, whenever we can, and we’re going down to tardy sweep and escorting students back to class.  With this students are still getting reprimanded for being late, however, instead of listening to classical music and sitting quietly they’re having to attend their regular class.  Hopefully with this new method students will realize there is no point going to tardy sweep since they will have to go to class anyway. 

 

Action Research

Action Research is a hands-on approach that allows educators to find solutions for any situation.  Action Research allows principals to ask questions and look for the best possible solution to fit the needs of the school.  The first step is collecting data in order to analyze the problem.  The second step is to determine a solution, and the third step is to evaluate the solution.  Those doing the research are familiar with the school and have hands on experience analyzing the problem.   Together with the administration, the team can form the best way to create an action plan.  Action research allows all parties which include the principal, administration and all stakeholders to encourage one another to work collectively with researchers to make sure the best solution is implemented.  By working together with one another you are more invested in implementing a solution for success.  Action research can be used in many ways; some of those ways are listed below:

∞      Analyzing how staff development impacts student learning

∞      Evaluating student success on state assessments and making changes were needed

∞      Examining culture differences and the impact it has on learning

∞      Evaluating student learning styles and meeting needs for student success

Importance of Blogging

Blogging allows administrators to share their thoughts and opinions.  It’s a way to learn and expand your own educational knowledge and skills.  Blogging can be a way to collaborate with others and receive advice.