Week 4 Reflections - A Ha's in Action Plan and Heat Strokes!

Well, the last seven days have been extremely busy for me! I had to attend two conferences on leadership back to back, completed the preparation work with my colleagues for our robotics camp in July, and continually to try to train for an upcoming marathon in October in 100 + degree Texas weather (without having a heat stroke - or maybe I have and not realized it)! (All tips on beating the heat while running are welcome!) Oh, let's not forget working on the necessary projects to wrap up this class in the next week. Whew!

First, I want to thank everyone for your continued comments on my action research plan this past week! I have made the adjustments to my action plan per some of your comments and simultaneously have graciously accepted the compliments! I met with my site supervisor this week to discuss the suggestions as well as any other improvements that might be needed. In addition to your comments, I have also revised my plan to reflect collaborative meetings with some target persons in our district's bilingual department that have recently taken new positions in this area as well as included a couple of instructional specialists that can really help me with the analysis of data from grades K, 1, and 2. I don't have as much interaction with the lower grades. So, I needed to collaborate with my colleagues that were more knowledgeable with the benchmarks and assessments needed for the success of the program.  In addition, I have become a constant intruder in our district's Assessment and Accountability Department. (Ha!) I told my main point of contact to just put me on speed dial #1 and to please not block my number. :)

Second, I enjoyed reading about more strategies this week (Force Field Analysis, Delphi Method, and Nominal Group Technique, and CARE Model) on sustaining improvement with programs for the success of our students. I was glad to learn the official name for "questionnaires, surveys, and faculty meetings." :) With that being said, I have used a couple of the methods already in preparation for the action plan. Throughout the next year, as needed, I will pinpoint the best method to use when receiving feedback from my colleagues and/or students regarding certain aspects of the plan. Also, by filling out the CARE Model template, I am able to focus on the top three (3) details for each component of the model.

Finally, I look forward to this final week as I reflect on what I have learned the past four weeks that have made my action plan more solid which includes each and everyone of your comments. I look forward to following your blogs and the progression of your action research plans. I want to see how your ideas develop into action for the improvements that you are needing for your individualized campuses/districts.

Thank you for following my blog! I look forward to your comments! I will follow-up with a comment!

Action Research Plan - ESL Best Practices

Please find below my action research plan "ESL Best Practices" that will be used as a guide in our campus' efforts to close the achievement gap with our ELL/LEP learners.

Action Research Plan – ESL Best Practices
Goal: In what ways will the implementation of an ESL best practices program increase the level of achievement of my campus’ ELL/LEP learners (K-5)? Will this type of framework for how to plan, teach, and monitor ESL best practices instruction aide in improving district and state assessments (e.g. MAP, STAAR, TELPAS, etc.)? Will this type of guided instruction increase the number of students that will be able to be reclassified or exit the bilingual education program because they met qualifying benchmarks on district and state assessments?
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Have meeting with directors of bilingual education program in district to discuss funding and materials needed to implement program.	Self and members of district elementary bilingual education department	May 25, 2013 – June 1, 2013	ESL best practices program information; monies as distributed by elementary bilingual education department; materials to support ESL best practices program	Self-reflection on meeting notes
Develop flyer to introduce program to campus’ bilingual students	Self and members of the summer robotics camp for campus	June 1, 2013 – July 1, 2013	Information on details and fundamentals of topics to be introduced and taught at camp	Flyer approved by site supervisor as well as elementary bilingual education director
Have meeting to introduce/market the program to bilingual education students in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades during last week of school	Self and members of the summer robotics camp for campus	June 1, 2013 – June 7, 2013	Presentation video, camp flyer w/permission slip, sample of lesson plans and materials that will be utilized at camp	Self-reflection on meeting notes as well as number of student/parent response for permission to attend the program
Conduct meeting with bilingual instructional specialist to go over details of ESL best practices lessons and activities including technology	Self, bilingual instructional specialist, members of the summer robotics camp for campus	June 7, 2013 – Jun 15, 2013	ESL best practices binder, technology, bilingual education program objectives, manipulatives and lesson plan templates	Self-reflection on meeting notes
Mail flyer to bilingual education students for reminder of summer camp as well as follow-up calls to student/parent	Self, staff members of the summer robotics camp for campus	June 25, 2013 – July 15, 2013	Personal information of student from TEAMS to produce mailing labels, flyer, and mailing materials	Self-reflection on conversations from  number of students that will confirm their attendance at the camp
Give the “express placement” assessment that assesses grammatical structures at four level of proficiency (oral)	Self, staff members  of the summer robotics camp for campus, students in attendance at camp	July 22, 2013 and July 23, 2013	“Express Placement” assessment	Quick placement for ESL grouping; self-reflection on assessment observation
Give the “Gap Finder” assessment  that identifies gaps in English language knowledge in order to understand instructional needs of student	Self, staff members of the summer robotics camp for campus, students in attendance at camp	July 24, 2013 and July 25, 2013	“Gap Finder” Assessment of Language Use	Students will be given assessment and then proficiency level identified to understand the instructional needs of student; self-reflection on assessment observation
Conduct the summer robotics camp that incorporates ESL best practices, math, science and STEM lessons to bilingual students	Self, staff members of the summer robotics camp for campus, students in attendance at camp	July 22, 2013 through August 2, 2013	Various lesson plans that include listening, speaking, reading, and writing objectives with an emphasis on listening and speaking.	Various informal and formal assessments as designated by rubric which identifies level of proficiencies; daily lesson observation/self-reflection rubric
Give the “express placement” assessment at the end of camp that assesses grammatical structures at four level of proficiency (oral) to note any improvement in proficiency level	Self, staff members  of the summer robotics camp for campus, students in attendance at camp	August 1st, 2013 – August 2nd, 2013	“Express Placement” assessment	Quick placement for ESL grouping; self-reflection on assessment observation
Give the “Gap Finder” assessment at the end of camp that identifies gaps in English language knowledge in order to understand instructional needs of student to note any improvement in proficiency level	Self, staff members of the summer robotics camp for campus, students in attendance at camp	August 1st, 2013 – August 2nd, 2013	“Gap Finder” Assessment of Language Use	Students will be given assessment and then proficiency level identified to understand the instructional needs of student; self-reflection on assessment observation
Give presentation on ESL best practices during back to school professional development week in August 2013	Self, staff members, administrators	August 19, 2013 – August 23, 2013	Lesson plans for staff as well as presentation on findings from summer camp	Self-reflection on presentation as well as survey to staff on understanding of ESL best practices in classroom
Have teachers give the “express placement” assessment to students campus-wide	Self, staff members, bilingual students	August 26, 2013 – September 6, 2013	“Express Placement” assessment	Quick placement for ESL grouping; gather proficiency levels of students from grade levels for documentation at beginning of year
Have teachers give the “Gap Finder” assessment to students campus- wide	Self, staff members, bilingual students	August 26, 2013 – September 6, 2013	“Gap Finder” Assessment of Language Use	Students will be given assessment and then proficiency level identified to understand the instructional needs of student; gather instructional needs from grade levels for documentation at beginning of year
Implement ESL best practices program with detailed lessons and informal and formal assessments	Self, staff members, bilingual students	August 26, 2013 – June 2014	Various lesson plans identifying ESL best practices as well as formal and informal assessments	Results of weekly lesson plan formal and informal assessments per student/per grade level
Have teachers give the “express placement” assessment to students campus-wide to note any improvement levels	Self, staff members, bilingual students	December 2013	“Express Placement” assessment	Quick placement for ESL grouping; gather proficiency levels of students from grade levels for documentation at middle of year
Have teachers give the “Gap Finder” assessment to students campus- wide to note any improvement levels	Self, staff members, bilingual students	December 2013	“Gap Finder” Assessment of Language Use	Students will be given assessment and then proficiency level identified to understand the instructional needs of student; gather instructional needs from grade levels for documentation at middle of year
Students take district MAP test in reading and language arts	Bilingual students	December 2013	Online MAP testing as identified through district technology	Results of level of proficiency/benchmark scores according to district standard
Students in K, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades take TEJAS LEE and TPRI tests	Bilingual students	September 2013, January 2014, and April 2014	TPRI and TEJAS LEE assessments	Compare results of performance level of students in each grade from BOY, MOY, and EOY to note improvements
Students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade take STAAR test	bilingual students	April 2014 and May 2014	STAAR test	Compare results of performance level of students in each grade as well as percentage of students meeting satisfactory performance according to state standards in 2013 and 2014
Students take district MAP test in reading and language arts	Bilingual students	May 2014	Online MAP testing a identified through district technology	Results of level of proficiency/benchmark scores according to district standard
Students take TELPAS (Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System) test	Bilingual students	April 2014 – May 2014	TELPAS test	Results of level of proficiencies; compare results for 2013 and 2014
Have teachers give the “express placement” assessment to students campus-wide to note any improvement levels	Self, staff members, bilingual students	May 2014 – June 2014	“Express Placement” assessment	Quick placement for ESL grouping; gather proficiency levels of students from grade levels for documentation at end of year
Have teachers give the “Gap Finder” assessment to students campus- wide to note any improvement levels	Self, staff members, bilingual students	May 2014 – June 2014	“Gap Finder” Assessment of Language Use	Students will be given assessment and then proficiency level identified to understand the instructional needs of student; gather instructional needs from grade levels for documentation at end of year
Identify bilingual education students as bilingual, ESL, or exit program at end of year	Self, bilingual education teachers, administrators	June 2014	Results from TELPAS, MAP, STAAR, TEJA LEE, AND TPRI; teacher recommendation	Compare number of students in bilingual education program reclassified as bilingual, ESL, or exit students; compare results from 2013 and 2014 to note improvements in scores that have effect on reclassification numbers
Survey staff on effectiveness of implementing program in classroom	Staff members	June 2014	Survey detailing feedback on components of program	Summarize results of survey from staff
Presentation on concluding findings of ESL best practices program	Self	June 2014	Results from disaggregation of data as collected from the action research plan	Conduct a reflection presentation to staff, administrators and members of district’s bilingual education department that identifies results of plan

Week 2 - Purpose and Significance of Action Research Plan

Action research is a vital component in serving not only our students but satisfying our never ending "wonderings." I really enjoyed watching the scholars' videos this week - Mr. Briseno, Dr. Chargois, and Dr. Lewis. The videos validated the point that we must engage ourselves constantly to participate in projects as well as extract, analyze, and apply data, toward finding ways to be more effective for our students so that they may be successful. We, as administrators, in turn, can be more effective as leaders. Per the literature for the week, I learned that "finding my wonderings" can come from so many different areas of exploration - staff development, curriculum development, individual teacher(s), individual student(s), school culture/community, leadership, management, school performance, and social justice. I can already apply and create these inquiries as a classroom teacher which can put me in a good position toward understanding the role of and being an effective administrator!

This week I was actually able to have my first meeting with members from our bilingual department about the details of the ESL best practices program to be implemented in our upcoming robotics camp in July. I was very excited to learn about how the program has helped other schools with their ELL populations and the great strides that have occurred in supporting the students' needs and abilities as they develop their vocabulary and writing abilities. In return, schools have seen growth in the data which we learned this week, once analyzed, is a must when addressing problems that you are trying to solve/fix. Further, I have already started reading various pieces of literature, "data", that has allowed me to have a better understanding of best practices toward teaching ELLs and how I need to approach the research over the next few months in conjunction with the specifics of the plan.

I am looking forward to new "wonderings" that may occur in week 3...

Utilization of Blogs for Educational Leaders

Blogs are a great tool for capturing inquiry, innovative solutions, concerns etc. among a group of people with a shared vision. Educational leaders might be able to use blogs as an innovative way to communicate and clearly state school-wide goals among professionals in contrast to the traditional professional development day for rules and procedures. This could be ongoing throughout the year. In addition, classroom educators could set up a blog for class reflection on “what I learned today.” (Reflection is a key to student learning and improvement as well.) Further, it enhances the art of writing in an innovative way. Students can easily be engaged in writing through this technology tool. I teach fourth grade in Texas where writing is a priority. What a great way to promote writing! Blogs can also be a reference tool for administrators and educators on how to handle challenges or implement exciting activities and programs that meet school, student, and parent needs in the community. This a great tool for anyone or any entity to reflect on their own thoughts and seek encouragement from others in developing challenges into strengths. It is a constant discussion board that addresses concerns, actions, reflections, and experiences to a global audience.

Action Research

I have learned that action research is a main component of being an effective leader whether you are a veteran principal, newly initiated into the role, or aspiring to become a future administrator. Everyone can participate in action research no matter what the role or experience. Action research will allow me to be an innovator in finding effective solutions to challenges in learning to meet the needs of the students whether in the classroom or as an administrator. A must in action research is constant engagement and reflection and making the time for reflection. Without reflection, progression and innovation become stagnant or obsolete in education. We need to constantly have a mindset of curiosity on how to become more effective in teaching and leadership in order to foster continual growth in education. My readings have also helped me to understand the phases of the action research process and how to apply each phase in my project as well as the constant swinging of the pendulum of action and reflection. Even after finishing post-graduate studies, this is a behavior that should be ongoing both professionally and personally. This attitude can only make you better. I will be able to use action research not only in my project but also to target improvements needed at our campus through one of our professional learning communities (PLCs). In addition, a colleague and I have already set up a blog to be utilized among grade levels across campuses in order to exchange ideas for activities pertaining to curriculum and state objectives. There are so many ways that action research can be implemented. No matter what method is utilized, if done correctly, it can only foster a brighter future in education for students and administrators.