EDLD 5301 Week 2 Thoughts

This week has re-energized my focus of the action research I plan to embark on.  I enjoyed the video interviews that gave great practical examples of how this reflection tool can be used.  It is nice to know that goals were always focused around student achievement which at times seems to be forgotten.  The readings from the Dana text were also insightful and helped my understanding of the types of action research areas there are.  It is reassuring that the process is a work in progress and can be altered as needed to meet the needs of the campus.  I am looking forward to completing my research and reading the great work of my peers.

My Action Research

My action research question is "How does the co-teach classroom effect the achievement of students who have a low socioeconomic status?"

One of the CIP goal for my middle school campus is to accelerate TAKS gains for economically disadvantaged students to reduce the achievement gap.  My action research will focus on the implementation of the co-teach classroom and the resulting effect on this population of student.  Often students with low SES are also minority, and a great many are receiving special education services.  TEA ratings for the school can be impacted several times by one student. 

My research will impact all key stakeholders - especially the students and the staffing decisions made in the future.  Focusing on this population of student should raise the achievement of all students in the class.

How Educational Leaders Might Use Blogs

Educational leaders might use blogs to communicate and share ideas with the leadership team. Blogs could be used to gain feedback from staff on policies or procedures in a less intimidating manner. Educational leaders may also use a blog to disseminate information about the school to the community or parents. A blog would even be a great venue to share thoughts during a book study.  Even professional development could be achieved - and streamlined - through the use of blogs.

Action Research - What I've Learn and How I Might Use It

Action research should be used by administrators and teachers to provide a reflective context for determining the effectiveness of leader and educational practices. This process is different from traditional educational research mainly in that the practitioner is someone from within the school setting. The research is done by people who have a vested interest in the outcome and in that manner are more likely to see that needed changes take place to increase success. Action research is a systematic approach that determines an area of needs, allows for the collection of data regarding that concern, includes educational literature and what's already been done, offers a a plan of action to help in the area of need, and supports collaboration by the sharing of ideas. Action research can be used by all to offer direction with classroom concerns to the effectiveness of campus-wide programs.

As the coordinator of special education for my campus, I might be able to use action research to determine how well the inclusion model of co-teaching has helped the academic achievement of low SES students, as well as student receiving special education support. As a math leader, action research may be used to gather data and determine how well intervention classes and the programs offered in this setting (like V-Math Live) increase the passing rate for students on the TAKS tests. As a member of the leadership team, action research could be used to reflect on the current policies, like discipline matrices, lunch procedures, or the support needed by administration in order for teachers to implement standards-referenced grading. The possibilities are endless. I look forward to utilizing action research in my own professional development growth now and in the future.