Week 4 Revised Action Research blog

Goal: To develop a guide for teachers to follow that helps them determine what student behavior warrants a discipline referral.

1.Action Step(s)- Analyze referrals throughout the first semester of the upcoming school year to get an idea of what behaviors teachers generally write students up for.
Person Responsible- Assistant principals make a log categorizing the discipline referrals.
Timeline: August 2010- January 2011
Needed Resources- A discipline log for the AP's that is convenient for them to use to ensure all discipline referrals are tallied under a specific category.
Evaluation- Do a check at the end of each week to get the results of the log.
2.Action Step(s)- Send out a survey to teachers to determine what areas of discipline they feel should be addressed by the teacher and what areas should be addressed by the principals.
Person Responsible- I will make and send out the survey and score the results.
Time-line: The survey will be sent out during the 3rd week of school.
Needed Resources- Materials to develop a survey sent to each teacher with a convenient method for returning them to me.
Evaluation- I will evaluate the surveys based on the scale developed on the survey.
3.Action Step(s)- Compare teacher responses on survey to the discipline procedures detailed in the teacher handbook.
Person Responsible- I will compare the responses to determine if there are any conflicts between the teacher handbook and what teachers personally feel.
Time-line: 4th and 5th week of school after I have received the responses to the teacher surveys.
Needed Resources- Teacher handbook and completed surveys.
4.Action Step(s)- Use teacher responses and the discipline log results to develop a list of discipline issues that each teacher should be prepared to handle on their own. Also compile a list of discipline issues that teachers should seek the help of the administration to remedy.
Person Responsible- Myself, the head principal, and my adviser.
Time-line: 6th and 7th weeks of school.
Needed Resources- Discipline log, teacher surveys, teacher handbook, input from the administrators.
Evaluation- Give the lists to a group of teachers that volunteer to evaluate the lists and give input on any changes that they think should be made.
5. Action Step(s)- Include a training session for implementing the discipline plan as part of our teacher in-service for the second semester.
Person Responsible- AP's
Time-line: During in-service for second semester
Needed Resources- AP's to discuss how to approach discipline in regards to the issues that teachers should be dealing with on their own.

Goal: To develop a guide for teachers to follow that helps them determine what student behavior warrants a discipline referral.

1.Action Step(s)- Analyze referrals throughout the first semester of the upcoming school year to get an idea of what behaviors teachers generally write students up for.
Person Responsible- Assistant principals make a log categorizing the discipline referrals.
Timeline: August 2010- January 2011
Needed Resources- A discipline log for the AP's that is convenient for them to use to ensure all discipline referrals are tallied under a specific category.
Evaluation- Do a check at the end of each week to get the results of the log.
2.Action Step(s)- Send out a survey to teachers to determine what areas of discipline they feel should be addressed by the teacher and what areas should be addressed by the principals.
Person Responsible- I will make and send out the survey and score the results.
Timeline: The survey will be sent out during the 3rd week of school.
Needed Resources- Materials to develop a survey sent to each teacher with a convenient method for returning them to me.
Evaluation- I will evaluate the surveys based on the scale developed on the survey.
3.Action Step(s)- Compare teacher responses on survey to the discipline procedures detailed in the teacher handbook.
Person Responsible- I will compare the responses to determine if there are any conflicts between the teacher handbook and what teachers personally feel.
Timeline: 4th and 5th week of school after I have received the responses to the teacher surveys.
Needed Resources- Teacher handbook and completed surveys.
4.Use teacher responses and the discipline log results to develop a a list of discipline issues that each teacher should be prepared to handle on their own. Also compile a list of discipline issues that teachers should seek the help of the administration to remedy.
Person Responsible- Myself, the head principal, and my advisor.
Timeline: 6th and 7th weeks of school.
Needed Resources- Discipline log, teacher surveys, teacher handbook, input from the administrators.
Evaluation- Give the lists to a group of teachers that volunteer to evaluate the lists and give input on any changes that they think should be made.

What I learned this Week...

Whenever I first began this course I really thought it was going to be similar to Ontro. to Grad. Research. When I got my first Masters degree that was probably one of the toughest courses. I was very nervous that this research course would also kick my butt. Yet, I have found that this course is more about the imprtance of research before committing to a change in your educational setting. As a teacher I never was encouraged to research and find answers to problems that I saw in the profession. I am very delighted to learn that the teachers now entering the profession are being directed down this path. This course this week made me look at different "wonderings" and really determine what purpose is there for an acion research project. This helped me answer the same question to my own action research ideas. I look forward to what next week has to offer.

What I learned about Administrative Inquiry/Action Research

Going into this week I had never heard of the term action research. Through this week's readings I discovered that I have taken part in action research many times throughout my career. One can describe action research as a planned inquiry in search of information and knowledge. As an educator we often try to find new ways to improve our teaching. This is also true of administrators. We are always identifying problems in the educationl process and trying to find ways to fix them. Action research makes this a more formal process. It can be broken down into 4 phases. In phase 1 you define an issue to study. This is followed up by phase 2, reviewing professional literature. In phase 3 the individual takes acion. Finally phase 4 involves using and sharing your results. Action research is very important to the educational process. As a teacher you can use it to improve teaching methods. This is obtained by identifying a problem that you recognize in your teaching strategy, then researching solutions, apply what you have learned, and then share your results with your peers. Action research can also be used in a group effort between administrators and teachers by developing Leadership Teams. These teams provide an opportunity for teachers and administrators to share the responsibility of improving their campus. Together they can identify problems on campus and once again follow up with the action research model.

Educational Leaders and Blogs:
Blogs provide educational leaders with an easy way to share and research ideas to improve their individual campuses. Through a blog you can give daily thought about what is working on your campus and what is not. Other administrators can read your blog to get information about similar problems they are facing.