Overview of Action Research Project

EXAMINING THE WORK

Through various meetings with other teachers, faculty members, administrators and outside sources, it has become apparent that the traditional idea of parent involvement is low and that there is a disconnect between what the school feels is positive and good parental involvement and the what the parents believe. Thus, adding to poor student academic performance, in a mass population on my campus. . After quick emails and phone chats with my site supervisor we decided I would narrow my action research to answering the question ‘How can more parental involvement, at the secondary level, help not only the students in the short run but the community and students in the long run?’

ANALYZING DATA

I will use a bunch of data gathering activities such as internet searches for tools and resources to help in creating interview and survey questions. I will do another search looking for accessible information that shows correlations to student success rates and positive school/parent interactions and use this information to more fully develop interview questions and surveys for further data collection.

DEVELOPING DEEPER UNDERSTANDING

The above information will help me design possible solutions and help me to focus my research. Using Tool 3.1 (Selecting data Collection Techniques) Harris et al. (2010) will help me distinguish the advantages and disadvantages of the various data sources used. With the results from this tool, I will settle on the different types of data that will be the most relevant. Then, I will use my information and create focus group questions for students, parents and community members to help me understand how to create a more positive and friendly school/parent interaction on my campus.

ENGAGE IN SELF REFLECTION

I will start to ask reflective questions concerning the advantages and challenges of creating and sponsoring a PTA or PTO to aide in beginning to involve more parents.

EXPLORING PROGRAMMATIC PATTERNS

Following up with more research and with answering the reflective questions, I will begin to consider a more specific solution (hopefully the PTA or PTO) and investigate the effect, pros and cons of executing these possible results. I will meet with my site supervisor, the parent liaison, other teachers and counselors to discuss the feasibility of executing the proposed solutions. Through these get-togethers, I will decide if there are enough resources, and support to follow preferred solution.

DETERMINING DIRECTION

I will reflect on my approach to executing the action research project by answering the following questions:

A. Am I clear on what I am attempting to solve?

B. Have I adequately addressed the skills and resource questions?

C. Have I established a collaborative approach to the issue?

D. Are my timelines realistic?

E. Do I have a reasonable plan to monitor the project?

F. Do I have a reasonable plan to determine the level of success? How do I evaluate if the plan is effective?

G. How will I revise and improve the plan based on monitoring and evaluation?

TAKING ACTION FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

I will organize a selected focus group of community members and possible PTA or PTO to facilitate me with this project. I will write a plan of action using the template tool 7.1 Harris et al (2010) to guide the execution of the research project. I will monitor the project with a measurable rubric decided upon by the selected focus group and present the findings of the project.

SUSTAIN IMPROVEMENT

The findings that improved better school and parent interaction and involvement achieving better student performance will be shown in a presentation and communicated with co-workers and key stakeholders including the community. I will also post the most relevant and useful findings on the school’s web site and my blog for further discussion and investigation. I will also use the processes and skills learned to increase my skills and know-how in new areas of my career.

Sorry about last week!!!

So last week I forgot the blog post but I was working on doing some of my research for my action project. One way that parents will get involved is when they feel welcomed and I have not always seen that on my campus. Most of the time it is preached to us to contact parents when students are doing well, not just when we are disappointed. However, I don't see the upper levels making the effort to do just that, not even when with their own people.

With that being stated, last week I tried to find some kind of written documentation discussing my campus' or even districts' policy regarding parent communication. I could find none. When I called people, and these people weren't only teachers but also people who are in positions to make policy, and they couldn't even tell me about the districts' policy. Now, I will concede to the fact that I have not made contact with my superintendent and he is very next on my list, but there doesn't seem to be any guiding document for teachers or administrators to follow regarding parent communication beyond informing them of grades and behavior. This is something, along with my action research project, I would like to draw up and have adopted by my campus if not the whole district before the end of the year.

Week 2 of Action Research Class

My most important take-away from my readings and lectures/interviews I read and watched this week was to make sure that when you are performing/implementing an action research inquiry you should make sure that it is currently relevant to your campus and your students and faculty.

Action Research/Inquiry Reflection

Okay, so my first glance into action research or inquiry made me tremble a little, I thought I was going to be doing a huge research project and having to write some horrible paper over it. I felt like my students do when I pull out the good 'ole research paper. Ugh. But I persevered and stuck with the reading and the lecture only to come out the other end a little surprised. Action research/inquiry makes perfect sense to me, in fact it makes so much sense that I have already been doing it in my own classroom. Essentially it just wants you to stop, breath and take a look around you. Once you've done that, then you need to look inside you and question whether or not you are doing what you set out to do. Keeping your goal in mind should always be at the fore front but we are human so there are times when we falter. So you've taken a look at yourself and realized no I'm not doing what I set out to do. You just need to look inwards and question why not? What's going on that's keeping me from achieving my goal? Are there any outside obstacles, meaning forces beyond your control, keeping me success? Once you've identified these "flaws" or "obstacles" set out a plan before you to get through the blocked iron door of defeat or stagnation. Now that you have a plan you just have to follow that plan and continue reflecting over the process as you go, keeping in mind that you must have measureable results at the endgame to show whether or not you were successful.