Action Research Plan

After SEVERAL hours.......

Action Planning Template – Rachel Lee
Goal: Goal: To implement campus-wide professional development on Special Education that will provide staff access to tools that will improve grades and increase scores on End-Of-Course Exams.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Review of Special Education data through ILT Meetings and Collaboration with 4 Special Education teachers	Instructional Leaders, Content Area Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Administrative Team	By the end of June 2013	Bi-Monthly Meetings, Student Lists, Student Transcripts, EOC Results	Agendas and Notes
Conduct Initial Teacher Survey (KWL) Needs	Rachel Lee	May 31, 2013	Survey Research Methods by Fowler, Designing Surveys:  A Guide to Decisions and Procedures by Czaja, Blair	Survey Reflections and Staff Development Plan
Contact Department Head, Co-Op Director, Attorney	Rachel Lee, Principal, School Diagnostician, LSSP Intern	May 31, 2013	One Day-Summer Leadership Retreat, 1 or 2 Days-August in Library, 45 Minutes Once/Month During 2nd Planning Period	Master Calendar Schedule Confirmation
Evaluation of Summer Remediation Days	Rachel Lee, Core Area Teachers	July 2013-August 2013	Discussion Meeting or Summer Email	Student Attendance Logs, Student Work Samples, Observations
Conduct Follow-Up Survey to Campus Teachers for Feedback on Summer Training and August Training;  Determine Needs for Additional Training in PLC’s	Rachel Lee, Special Education Department Head	August 2013-September 2013	1 Faculty Meeting AM or PM	Survey Reflections, Literature from Special Education Resources on the Internet, NASSP Conference Ideas
Monitor Student Progress and Grades-6 Weeks	Rachel Lee, Special Education Teachers, GCS Teachers, SAP Committee Team	October 4-11, 2013	Monday SAP Meetings at 2:45PM	Agenda,  SAP Meeting Minutes
Conduct Focus Groups	Rachel Lee, Instructional Leaders	Second Week of the Month by Department (Ongoing)	Teacher Classrooms	Focus Group Interviews and Discussions, Field Notes
Implement Remediation for STAAR EOCs Using Professional Development Practices	Content Area Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Paraprofessional Staff	September 2013 – March 2014	Student Advisory Period, Weekly Tutoring	Student Attendance Sheets/Tutoring Logs, Observations
Create Plan for PLCs	Principal, Administrative Team	October 2014-May 2014	Monday Morning Administrative Team Meetings	Agenda and Notes
Collect Student Work During 2nd and 3rd Six Weeks	Content Area Teachers, Special Education Teachers, Inclusion Teachers	Email Window October 7, 2013 – January 17, 2014	Email Deadline, Support of Instructional Leadership Team	Student Work Submissions
Monitor Student Progress and Semester Exams/Grades	Rachel Lee, Special Education Teachers, GCS Teachers, SAP Committee Team	January 17 – January 24, 2014	Monday SAP Meetings at 2:45PM	Student Transcripts, Agenda, SAP Minutes, Teacher Behavior Observation Sheets
Attend Special Education Department Meetings and Conduct Teacher Interviews (What tools are you using? What do you still need?)	Rachel Lee, Principal	End of February 2014	Teacher Classrooms	Informal Interview Questions and Notes
Conduct Student Surveys/Interviews for Reflection of Personal Progress	Rachel Lee	March 31, 2014	30 Minutes During School Day (Study Hall Periods and Advisory Periods) Survey Research Methods by Fowler, Designing Surveys:  A Guide to Decisions and Procedures by Czaja, Blair	Survey Reflections, Report Cards
Monitor Student Progress 4th and 5th Six Weeks	Rachel Lee, Special Education Teachers, GCS Teachers, SAP Committee Team	January 20, 2013 – April 18, 2014	Monday SAP Meetings at 2:45PM	Student Report Cards, Agenda, SAP Minutes, Teacher Behavior Observation Sheets
Administer EOC Exams and Compile Results	Campus Teachers, Counselor	March 2013 – May 2014	District Testing Schedule	Student Data Reports
Plan Student/Teacher Recognition for Passing Students	Rachel Lee, Principal, Special Education Staff	June 2014	High School Cafeteria, Budget	Invitation and Attendance
Review Field Notes and Write Reflection on Outcomes	Rachel Lee	July 2014	Outline and Blog Updates	Evaluation of Research Plan by Checklist
Create PowerPoint or Presentation for Staff of Action Research Plan and Final Results	Rachel Lee	August 2014	Secure Staff Development/Faculty Meeting Date	Principal Feedback and Meeting
Purchase and Completion of NCEA Teacher Survey	Principal	September 2014	All Staff, Computer Lab, Faculty Meeting	Online Completion, Data Analysis and Report

Week 2 Reflections

I decided this would be a journey when I enrolled in my Education Administration program.  My first feat was conquering the idea of completing an online program and navigating Blackboard, something entirely new for me.  Whew! 

During my twelve years as an educator, I've always had many questions.  How can I reach certain students?  What can I do to make a lesson better?  How can I address teaching reading in my content area?  What can I do to grow as a teacher?  As it turns out, my internship plan was the initial step in answering some of those questions and putting ideas into action.  I have adopted an attitude of being a life-long learner, a recurring theme for the last 6 weeks.  I will now be able to make a difference by asking insightful questions and following steps to find those answers in the form of an action research project.  

My action research project is still developing, but this is my initial inquiry:  In what ways can I, along with my principal, best implement professional development on Special Education that will give teachers access to tools that will improve grades and increase scores on End-of-Course Exams?

Professional development has always been an area of interest. Not only have I enjoyed attending sessions, but I've also enjoyed presenting sessions.  I look forward to the challenge of walking away with new information and attempting to make changes in my teaching.  I hope that by choosing an action research project in staff development, I can inspire others to implement new information that greatly impacts student learning and achievement! 

Week 2 Inquiry Questions

Through the week, I focused on three questions from projects in my internship plan.  These projects continue to be a topic of discussion with my principal.  In my role as Dean of Students, we have discussed the importance of developing a Parent-Teacher Organization at the High School, the need for a staff development plan, and the need for a summer remediation program. Through these discussions, I made notes and developed the following questions:

1.    In what ways will a summer remediation program affect standardized test scores for failing students?

2.    In what ways can I, along with my principal, best implement staff development on Special Education that will give teachers access to tools that will improve grades and increase scores on End-of-Course Exams?

3.    How will use of a second planning period build professional learning communities and affect teacher learning?

4.    How can I design and implement a Parent-Teacher Organization that will increase teacher morale and create a positive school culture?

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Week One Reflections

This week's assignment allowed me to gain insight to my actions as a campus principal and instructional leader.  I believe that modeling is the best practice for involving a staff in ongoing professional development.  I was able to focus on the concept of Administrator Inquiry, an approach to leading the study of reflective practice through questioning.  Staff development should be long-term, planned, and job-embedded while focusing on student achievement, practice, and collaboration with peers - all guided by inquiry.   Principal inquiry has many benefits that create a campus culture of learning, using the following steps: diagnosis of a problem, formulation of action strategies, implementation of strategies, evaluation of strategies, and identification of improvement areas.  Because all staff members play a part in the action research process, this makes them more likely to research change, lead change, and continue to pose questions.
As a principal-inquirer, I can use action research and become part of a community to better understand, inform, and shape school practices.  Working in this capacity, I will not be isolated because collaboration and networking are the foundation of any action plan.  I can be a model for teachers and students by engaging in learning as the "head learner," and completing my own action research project.  When I plan time for reflection, I can slow down and take control of my daily practices.  This will allow me to feel proactive.   I can strengthen school improvement and culture by building relationships through communication and fostering new ideas.  I can support best practices to grow on the campus when I commit to making inquiry a part of normal administrative practice.  Normal administrative practice should include looking, thinking, acting, and reflecting.  By enrolling in university coursework, participating in meetings that devote time to action research, maintaining and working with leadership teams, and participating in professional learning communities, I can grow to be an effective principal-inquirer and model for the staff. 
 
Using blogs is a great start at reflective journaling.  By serving as an online diary, blogs can capture thinking.  By combining text, images, and links to other blogs, they can be a powerful tool for reflecting on the thought process.  Blogs can capture thinking over time which can lead to insights into our personal practices and habits.  Blogs can also serve as a memory device that stores thoughts and recollections safely for deeper insight and later use.  One of the most powerful tools from blogging is feedback provided in the comment feature.  In addition blogging time can model a love of writing for students, teachers, and administrators!