ARP

Action Planning Template
Goal: To better understand what motivates struggling readers at the middle school level.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Determine Population: Select students from applied, inclusion and on level English that are struggling readers.	Jana Bartlett 8th Grade English teachers Sped department chair Todd Rogers	August 2013-September 2013	List of 504 students IEPs Class Schedules	Compile a list of students that fit my population and get that list approved by Todd Rogers
Gather Student Data: Meet with students to discuss reading likes, and dislikes	Research Population Jana Bartlett	September 2013 October 2013	Surveys Questions	Analyze surveys and answers
Gather Teacher Data: Meet with English teachers to discuss reading patters and their ideas on struggling readers	English Teachers Jana Bartlett	September 2013 October 2013	Surveys Questions	Analyze surveys and answers
Determine next Direction: Implement/experiment with new motivational tools to motivate readers	Research Population Jana Bartlett	October 2013 November 2013	Motivational tools	Analyze what motivation tools worked and why
Take Action: Take finding (motivational tools) and introduce them to other struggling readers to check for vitality of research	7th grade applied class Jana Bartlett Laura Osborn	November 2013 December 2013	Researched motivational tools	Analyze what motivation tools worked and why
Present Findings: Present Action research plan to Todd Rogers (site supervisor)	Todd Rogers Jana Bartlett	December 2013	Summary of action research plan	Meet with Todd Rogers to discuss findings and what steps could be taken to further or implement research

Week 2

Hey guys-- I don't know about you, but week two was a little confusing to me.  Those interviews where very interesting but the questions afterward I found to be confusing. 

When are our action research papers due?

I hope you all had a great week!  

Out with the old in with the BLOG!

Educational Leaders can use blogs in a variety of ways.  I think using a blog to connect with students would be a great tool to promote school spirit and unity.  I would be fun to appoint a blogger of the week and that student blogs about what is going on around campus that week.  Blogs are also a great tool for connect with your tech savvy parents. 

Research is not Action Research

When I saw the course title research I was immediately intimidated.  I just knew for the next five weeks I would be spending hours on the computer and in the library researching about things that didn't apply to me or my school.  My dated theory about research was quickly eased after reading the first chapter of Leading with Passion and Knowledge. Action research differs from traditional educational research in many ways, but the one I find most evident is the in-house collection of data that is involved.  Traditional research was done by reading articles and collecting data from other studies and reporting based on that.  Dana (2009) states many benefits to action based research, the one I find most beneficial is that practitioners play a part in the research process.  I agree with Dana (2009) that by participating in the research practitioners are more likely to facilitate change based on the knowledge they generate. "Administrator inquiry refers to the process of a principal engaging in systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what she/he learns as a result of the inquiry." (Dana, N. F. (2009) Leading with Passion and Knowledge. California: Corwin) After reading more about action research I realized that action research is an ongoing study principals and committees use to analyze issues on their campus.  Action research can be anything on campus a principal feels is with investigating more.  In other words soothing that he/she feels can be improved upon.  It is easy to identify something as a problem but can be challenging to identify a fix for that problem.  An action research could help identify problems and solutions. 

I believe that as a future administrator I will be able to use action research to improve my campus! It is also a great way to have meaningful professional development; at the beginning of the year you could have a question/action research topic that teachers focus on for the year. At the end of the year or at semester teacher could meet to discuss their finding and come up with, what our school calls a “prescription” or solution to the problem.