Janet Kelly- Cohort 13/ET8027
July 31, 2011
EDLD 5397 Internship for Leadership
Week Three, Part Three
Title –
Effect of Utilizing the Data Segregation Program Aware on Standardized Test Improvement
Janet K. Kelly
Lamar University
Author’s Note
Master’s degree candidate in Educational Technology
jkelly@my.lamar.edu
Needs Assessment –
My action research project was decided upon with the suggestion of my mentor. Since I am not employed, we felt surveying employees about a new program used in the district would be appropriate. My mentor decided in April that the May/June timeline for collecting data would be too soon, so I am scheduled to collect data in September.
The data I collect will be opinions on the use of the program Aware. The goal is to find out how the teachers are using the program, how they believe it is helping them, and how they need training to use the software effectively.
Objectives and Vision of the action research project. (ELCC 1.1)
The inquiry question that I will ask will be “How has the program SchoolObjects: Aware assisted you as a teacher?” Through surveying teachers, the research will work to determine how the teachers are utilizing the program. It will search for answers into what aspects of the program are the most useful, which features have not been fully utilized and how teachers believe the program is helping them to differentiate their classroom strategies based on the results of the benchmarks tests created within the program.
Review of the Literature and Action Research Strategy –
Although the product Eduphoria School Objects Aware is new, making decisions based on data is not. Marsh, Pane and Hamilton (2006) state that “information becomes actionable knowledge when data users synthesize the information apply their judgment to prioritize it, and weigh the relative merits of possible solutions.” The authors also found that local assessments done in frequent intervals were more valuable in providing diagnostic data than the once-a-year standardized test. The School Objects:aware program allows for the analyses of TAKS data segregated by sub pops and other factors. It gives districts the ability to make their own benchmark tests and question banks and to print the answer sheets on plain copy paper (Eduphoria School Objects: Aware, 2009).
Working collaboratively with my mentor, we may find places where I need to tweak my questions or plans to find the best data. After the survey, any teacher concerns may become known and addressing those concerns may be a future task. I do believe my timelines are realistic. Creating surveys that encourage teachers to fill them out will be an important step. Everyone is busy and may not wish to spend precious time on a survey.
I made the project decisions with my mentor and approval by our superintendent. We considered topics that the data collected would benefit the Instructional Technology Director. The other possibility was to research the use of Project Share in the schools, but this software is not as directly benefitting to students.
Eduphoria School Objects: Aware. (2009). Retrieved July 31, 2011, from Eduphoria: http://www.eduphoria.net/products/aware/default.aspx
Marsh, J., Pane, J., & Hamilton, L. (2006). Making Sense of Data-Driven Decision Making in Education. Rand Education .
Articulate the Vision (ELCC 1.2) –
This student will communicate this action research project to the staff of the elementary school where I will conduct the surveys. The vision of the project will be outlined in the surveys and will also be communicated through conversations as I ask teachers to participate. My mentor will also be involved in requesting the information on Aware from the teachers. We wish the staff to know how many ways this program disaggregates student data so that educationally data-driven decisions can be made for the betterment of each student. There is not a need to give the research results to the parents, students or community; unless, consideration was given to the program upgrade purchase and knowledge of teacher use was requested.
Manage the organization (ELCC 3.1) –
I will employ several data collection strategies. I will take field notes from a focus group of 7 individuals that will include IT personnel, an administrator, and teachers. Interviews will be conducted with 5 – 8 teachers to get details of how they use Aware. Video and notes will also be taken at August 2011 training sessions for the teachers on the program. Surveys will be conducted after one year of program use. Research will also include other districts that have used Aware and documented their results publicly. Since I only a Lamar student, I am not using any money but my own to do this research. No staff is available to help me complete this research.
Priority has been given to determining how the program Aware has helped students by allowing their teachers to determine the best ways each individual student can be taught. This research does not require student personal data.
Manage Operations (ELCC 3.2) –
Consultation with my mentor is the main strategy used to determine the operations of the project. In addition, the text on action research helped to determine the steps needed to complete this project. Although I can see where another project focused on changing culture or attitudes would require the group process skills and consensus building, this research project does not require that. I do not see any conflict arising from the process of collecting the data. The only conflict could be within the results of the data, if it appears a large portion of teachers surprisingly do not appreciate the qualities and features of the program Aware. My mentor may be disappointed that the survey results would claim a lack of training on the program, since she is responsible for the training. These issues would be one-on-one.
Respond to Community Interest and Needs (ELCC 4.2) –
Since the program Aware is capable of disaggregating data by ethnicity, gender, grade, school, and economic status, this program has the potential to point out previously unknown educational deficiencies in any sub pops in the school system. This is a great tool in the hands of teachers.
Start Date End date Needed Resources Evaluation
Attend Training session for employees on the software program Aware Aug-10 Sept - 11 video device, note pad
Research and watch the training videos for using survey monkey Oct-10 Dec-10 time on the internet
Invite seven people to join the focus group May-11 Sept-11 Time for phone calls and email
Meet with the focus group to gather data Sept-11 Oct-11 meeting room, incentive food
Meet with mentor to go over the survey Sept-11 Sept-11 conference time Site mentor approval
interview teachers individually Aug-11 Oct-11 meeting times
Submit the first survey Sept-11 Oct-11 approved survey, email addresses, permissions
Analyze the survey data Oct-11 Oct-11 Sufficient number of returned surveys
Write up my research report Aug-11 Nov-11 Professor advice, Mentor input, Survey data, interview notes, focus group notes Graded by professor
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
EDLD 5397 Week Three
Web Conference
July 27, 2011
This web conference focused mainly on questions related to our action research project and the discussion post requirement for learning about our district’s IRB policy. It was stated that the past master’s student really enjoyed their research projects. Action research is best received when it contains quantitative data. It is also informative when it contains detailed descriptions of impressions, feelings and opinions of those involved. Since most action research projects are campus based, this information is very beneficial and helpful to the campus administrator. The campus administrator wants to know the morale and culture of the staff and school climate. Action Research projects are one way for them to derive this information.
Students asked questions about the literature review part of the paper. This includes sources that have previously researched your topic. It does not need to be long if you find adequate sources. Our research data is to be mostly our data.
Students discussed the IRB policies in their districts. Schools created these policies to protect those in schools who are vulnerable to misrepresentation.
Dr. Mason also discussed a project that Lamar University is doing to study the use of technology by district administrators. Are administrators modeling technology use well? The administration program has added technology courses to address this issue.
July 27, 2011
This web conference focused mainly on questions related to our action research project and the discussion post requirement for learning about our district’s IRB policy. It was stated that the past master’s student really enjoyed their research projects. Action research is best received when it contains quantitative data. It is also informative when it contains detailed descriptions of impressions, feelings and opinions of those involved. Since most action research projects are campus based, this information is very beneficial and helpful to the campus administrator. The campus administrator wants to know the morale and culture of the staff and school climate. Action Research projects are one way for them to derive this information.
Students asked questions about the literature review part of the paper. This includes sources that have previously researched your topic. It does not need to be long if you find adequate sources. Our research data is to be mostly our data.
Students discussed the IRB policies in their districts. Schools created these policies to protect those in schools who are vulnerable to misrepresentation.
Dr. Mason also discussed a project that Lamar University is doing to study the use of technology by district administrators. Are administrators modeling technology use well? The administration program has added technology courses to address this issue.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Web Conference July 19th
The July 19th web conference was lead by Dr. Mason and then also attended by Dr. Martin who gave many thoughts on different topics. The first questions were about the discussion board topics for this week. Dr. Mason asked us to discuss the best leadership activity we have done in our internship. Many of the attendees commented on their action research projects. They had questions about the review needed by their site mentor and changes in their site mentor. The topics of the actions research project varied. Some included discipline referrals, scheduling, block scheduling, RTI, communications, and leadership experiences. Much of the discussion focused on administrators’ relationships with staff and teachers, professional practice and the surprises of administration. Many commented on the practices of administrators that they did not want to emulate if they became a leader.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Web Conference - July 12, 2011
I attended the web conference and listened to the questions and answers. I did not have a specific question so I listened to the answers to classmates questions. One student Debbie was questions about the eight things we needed to change in our internship for the assignment. She also stated that she was a student in Dr. Abernathy’s English class in the eighth grade. The goal of this week’s assignment is to review our internship plans and make sure we have covered all the NETS. We should adjust our planned activities if needed.
Several questions arose about TK20 and the changes made in the program. I am always amazed at how many times students ask the same questions. Obviously, many people assume their emails from professors do not apply to them. One student voiced great dissatisfaction with their IA’s answers to their questions. Maybe if they actually read the first emails, overviews and assignments before they fired off an email, they would realize the answer had already come to them...
Several questions arose about TK20 and the changes made in the program. I am always amazed at how many times students ask the same questions. Obviously, many people assume their emails from professors do not apply to them. One student voiced great dissatisfaction with their IA’s answers to their questions. Maybe if they actually read the first emails, overviews and assignments before they fired off an email, they would realize the answer had already come to them...
EDLD 5397 Week One Part five Reflection
Reflecting upon the knowledge I have gained from the technology self-assessment I would have to say that overall, my strength is I understand the importance of each of the technology standards for administrators. My weakness is in having experience applying this knowledge in the school environment. I lack employment in a school district, but I interact frequently with those that do. When opportunity arises for me to participate in classroom technology, I welcome it. I have one elementary teacher that allowed me access to her classroom and one instructional associate that has helped to find opportunities for training events.
Under the visionary leadership standard, I do believe I can inspire others to use technology and advocate for the funding for technology. I do communicate with my state legislator and for example, spoke with him about the importance of online learning as a cost saving measure for the state. I do believe I am capable of promoting a digital-age learning culture in a school, even just as a parent. Keeping up with the excellence in professional practice standard may be quite difficult. Administrators only have twenty-four hours in one day as well, and keeping up with the latest research is a daunting task. The two most important standards are the need for systemic improvement using technology and the responsible use of technology by school leaders.
I do not believe I have considered myself as a possible administrator candidate. However, running my family with seven children does require management skills. Before in surveys, the assessments have run along the line of knowledge acquired concerning different types of technology. This assessment is different in that it focuses on leading others to come to understand the efficiency, culture, and systemic improvement needed within technology in schools.
Schools leaders must remember the importance of creating a culture that inspires, promotes, models and improves the learning environment for each student. Technology is a great tool for differentiating classroom teaching and expanding the world of students. My success as a school leader would be diminished if I chose to ignore the necessity of any of these standards for administrators.
To promote excellence in professional practice, administrators must attempt to keep up the new hardware and software constantly presented by educational companies. Making sure all these programs are interchangeable is a difficult task. Many times software programs are marketed to be compatible with all systems - save a few hidden glitches. These glitches of incompatibility often become huge political problems for administrators when the purchase involves large sums of taxpayer money. This is a problem because administrators will only get burned once by this problem and then will later be reluctant to make large technology purchases. Technology leaders in school districts must be very wise in the advice for purchases they propose to schools. I would be interested to know how tenured administrators feel toward their technology director’s request for purchases. Often the strategic plan needs will dictate the administrator’s view of a proposed purchase.
As far as my internship plan goes, I have identified several changes I need to make. Recently, a school board outside of Houston named my husband as their sole finalist candidate. This creates a new situation for me here. I will be here with the children until the house sells, but politically, my role is different – actually much better. I will need to delete two activities from my internship plan. One activity is to redo my husband’s website. This is no longer necessary. A second activity that I will drop is to survey the employees on the technology services. Both of these activities are no longer available to me and if I pursued doing them would be awkward, therefore, by dropping them, I believe I will preserve a positive school culture.
Thirdly, I would add the task of reading the book, A New Breed of Leader: 8 Leadership Qualities That Matter Most in the Real World by Sheila Bethel. I will review the book and write a blog posting. Fourth, I will find and attend a seminar/webinar on the program Skyward. This is the student information system used at our new district and I would like to learn about it. Fifth, I plan to read the book Drive by Daniel Pink on motivation. I will publish a blog on the findings in this book. Sixth, using the information in the book Drive, I will create a slide show for the web to teach others the new insights given by the book. Seventh and eighth will both involve the use of the product Moodle. I would like to attend seminars/webinars available that will teach me both how teachers use this product and how students can benefit in using Moodle.
Each of these activities will help me understand and utilize concepts related to motivating others, creating a positive school culture and improving my knowledge of the systemic improvement expected at the new school district.
Under the visionary leadership standard, I do believe I can inspire others to use technology and advocate for the funding for technology. I do communicate with my state legislator and for example, spoke with him about the importance of online learning as a cost saving measure for the state. I do believe I am capable of promoting a digital-age learning culture in a school, even just as a parent. Keeping up with the excellence in professional practice standard may be quite difficult. Administrators only have twenty-four hours in one day as well, and keeping up with the latest research is a daunting task. The two most important standards are the need for systemic improvement using technology and the responsible use of technology by school leaders.
I do not believe I have considered myself as a possible administrator candidate. However, running my family with seven children does require management skills. Before in surveys, the assessments have run along the line of knowledge acquired concerning different types of technology. This assessment is different in that it focuses on leading others to come to understand the efficiency, culture, and systemic improvement needed within technology in schools.
Schools leaders must remember the importance of creating a culture that inspires, promotes, models and improves the learning environment for each student. Technology is a great tool for differentiating classroom teaching and expanding the world of students. My success as a school leader would be diminished if I chose to ignore the necessity of any of these standards for administrators.
To promote excellence in professional practice, administrators must attempt to keep up the new hardware and software constantly presented by educational companies. Making sure all these programs are interchangeable is a difficult task. Many times software programs are marketed to be compatible with all systems - save a few hidden glitches. These glitches of incompatibility often become huge political problems for administrators when the purchase involves large sums of taxpayer money. This is a problem because administrators will only get burned once by this problem and then will later be reluctant to make large technology purchases. Technology leaders in school districts must be very wise in the advice for purchases they propose to schools. I would be interested to know how tenured administrators feel toward their technology director’s request for purchases. Often the strategic plan needs will dictate the administrator’s view of a proposed purchase.
As far as my internship plan goes, I have identified several changes I need to make. Recently, a school board outside of Houston named my husband as their sole finalist candidate. This creates a new situation for me here. I will be here with the children until the house sells, but politically, my role is different – actually much better. I will need to delete two activities from my internship plan. One activity is to redo my husband’s website. This is no longer necessary. A second activity that I will drop is to survey the employees on the technology services. Both of these activities are no longer available to me and if I pursued doing them would be awkward, therefore, by dropping them, I believe I will preserve a positive school culture.
Thirdly, I would add the task of reading the book, A New Breed of Leader: 8 Leadership Qualities That Matter Most in the Real World by Sheila Bethel. I will review the book and write a blog posting. Fourth, I will find and attend a seminar/webinar on the program Skyward. This is the student information system used at our new district and I would like to learn about it. Fifth, I plan to read the book Drive by Daniel Pink on motivation. I will publish a blog on the findings in this book. Sixth, using the information in the book Drive, I will create a slide show for the web to teach others the new insights given by the book. Seventh and eighth will both involve the use of the product Moodle. I would like to attend seminars/webinars available that will teach me both how teachers use this product and how students can benefit in using Moodle.
Each of these activities will help me understand and utilize concepts related to motivating others, creating a positive school culture and improving my knowledge of the systemic improvement expected at the new school district.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Discussion Board for EDLD 5333
DISCUSSION WEEK 1
What critical attributes of a positive school culture does your campus exhibit? How does your principal contribute to that positive culture?
Four characteristics of positive school culture exhibited at our elementary are a mission focused on student and teacher learning, the presence of rituals and ceremonies that reinforce core cultural values, a physical environment that symbolizes joy and pride and a widely shared sense of respect and caring for everyone. (Deal & Peterson, 1999) Our principal contributes to this culture by participation in the knighting ceremonies and character education program. She also supports the student efforts to keep the campus clean and the recycling program engaged. The principal encourages the PTO in their efforts to improve the campus physically and to provide technology to the campus through the purchase of “computers on wheels”. She is often present in the hallway greeting parents and students attending school events.
My opinion of two effects of NCLB:
#3 “Schools are paying much more attention to the alignment of the curriculum and instruction and are analyzing test score data much more closely”. This is a positive effect of NCLB. Although educators can become buried in the data, it is extremely helpful to teachers to take the test data and aggregate it by grade, class or individual student. Not only does the data point out areas of concern, it also will show student improvement. This data analysis will propel an increase in data-driven decisions even for the individual student. It also spurs motivation by positive outcomes.
#10 “NCLB requirements have meant that state governments and school districts also have expanded roles in school operations, but often without adequate federal funds to carry out their duties.” This is an extreme problem. When you realize that TEA stated that just the publishing of the new STARR and EOC exams for next year cost 89 million dollars, this is a large amount of money. It is also true that the requirement for yearly professional development is provided little to no money. As I have spent this legislative session following blogs and political arguments, I have found a great deal of criticism of public school expenditures that the general public has no clue are federal requirements of NCLB. If state and federal unfunded mandates are not lifted, so that districts can make financial decisions based on their community’s values and needs, further loss of student services that are not specified in such laws will occur. At the very least, schools will have to work to educate the public on what these unfunded mandates cost – and at some point, a push back must occur.
Response to Jason M.
Social studies and technology not taught.
The perceived lack of emphasis on social studies and technology in your school is definitely caused by the need to meet AYP, but could more readily be defined by effect #9 “the federal government is playing a bigger role in education”. Whenever Big Bro tells schools to shine to light on “X”, that means the light is dimmed on the surrounding topics. There are not enough hours or dollars to do both. Moreover, when the dollars will be taken away if schools do not comply, suggestions become mandates.
Schools are unique entities with individual flavors, values and needs. Local control is necessary to meet the needs of a community. The more mandates that are placed on schools without the money to fund the requirements, the greater loss of specialized programs unique to the local community.
Response to Colin S.
It is interesting to me that you suggest the idea of placing low achieving students all in one class to get specialized instruction. This was the craze in the 90s – the debate then was “do you want homogeneous or heterogeneous grouping?” I do not think money determined these decisions, because conceivably grouping students as such should be more efficient. Nevertheless, the problem was homogeneous grouping ended up segregating students within the campus by economic status and race. In addition, a problem created was students thought they were dumb for being placed in these groups and their expectations and their parents’ expectations for them - fell.
Personally, I like the idea of the Universal Design for Learning. Varied instruction meets the needs of each student learning style. (Rose & Meyer, 2002) Yes, students are pulled for specialized instruction at times. In addition, it is hard when some students seem to be pulled throughout the day. However, it is more important for each student to realize their potential and have to opportunity to achieve more than is expected of him. Being in a classroom with students of all abilities can teach the more gifted to walk with their peers. This gives benefit to both.
Discussion Board Week #2
Each school is required by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) to hold a public meeting after receipt of the campus performance reports (AYP & AEIS). How does your school maximize attendance at this annual meeting to ensure that a cross section of the community you serve is well represented? Do you advertise? Do you hold an appealing event along with the informational meeting agenda? Share your strategies with your group in the discussion board.
• Share the approach your campus has taken to train the staff in effective data use, or explain how you would manage this challenge when you are the principal.
Week Two
Our superintendent holds several “State of the District” presentations throughout the school year. He gives the first report in January at the school board meeting. He then also gives this presentation to the Chamber of Commerce that includes a luncheon honoring our teachers of the year. He also speaks to the Rotary club and at several PTO meetings. This month he will be giving an updated report to the local Republican Women (he did the Democrats last month). Most of these events are advertised in the newspapers and through emails. Sometimes the PTOs use the auto dialer system to let parents know.
Our campus has recently adopted the use of Aware software for student testing data. Last year the principals, counselors and over campus office personnel were trained on the program. The teachers have been trained some, but a big push will come in August to include more teachers during the professional development time to learn to navigate the software. The Aware program promises to be technology that “supports data disaggregation, provides data access, and generates useful data displays” (Ronka, Lachat, Slaughter, & Meltzer, January 2009, p. 18)
Response to
Looking at the test scores and sub-pops is a great way to determine instructional strategies for a campus. I wonder if your campus has available a program that can drill down to each student. For example, in the article Answering the Questions that Count, the authors suggest the question ”Do some of my course sections have a higher proportion of students below grade level in reading skills?” (Ronka, Lachat, Slaughter, & Meltzer, January 2009, p. 20) should be able to be answered to ensure that the data is of high quality. Although looking at TAKS data as a whole can give large goals for students such as “we need to increase 5th grade science scores”. But what if the data can be divided up to find that one aspect of the science test is tripping up the students.
Discussion Board #3 Week
Review how to survive data overload. What do you think of the tool titled team dialogue guide. What do you think of the reflection guide? How might you introduce these tools and use them with your teachers?
Having been out of the teaching field for several years, I am not that knowledgeable about teachers in their interactions with committees and the need to formulate school wide initiatives. I have served on committees both in church and in the community and I can see where a dialogue guide is necessary. Especially in church committees, where some are full time employed and want the meeting to be efficient and quick so they can get home and then others who see the meeting as their social event for the day and are in no hurry to go anywhere.
When lots of data is involved, people have a tendency to focus in on the data that is most important to them. It is a good process to search through the data from three sources as someone’s fears may be assuaged when they see the big picture. This also helps the group to come to a consensus about what is the most important goal to achieve. The teachers/staff can then take ownership of the goal since they all went down the same path to get to that goal. Thomas states, “unless the team emerges from the data analysis process with a clear plan of action for identified students and for classroom instruction, it has wasted its time” (Thomas, 2006).
The reflection guide is useful not only in the group setting to gain insight as to what is working in the school, but also for the individual teacher. He/she can reflect upon the methods and practices they have used in the classroom and how those have benefitted students.
As a principal, I may introduce the reflection guide first maybe with the gift of a journal. Teachers could then begin the process early in the year and record successes and failures. These journal entries parlay into useful in-class assessment data.
Week 4
It is interesting to me that after all the research done, tests required, and theories produced, that the most effective way to increase student achievement gains is to allow the teachers and students dual ownership in the progress of their learning. This is not the extrinsic motivation schools often provide. For example, extrinsic motivation is an invitation to the Accelerated Reading Store to use the points you have earned to buy candy and toys. However, intrinsic motivation is much more difficult to cultivate in people (students). Author Daniel Pink in his book, Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us (2009) states, “Give people meaningful information about their work. The more feedback focuses on specifics…-and the more the praise is about effort and strategy rather than about achieving a particular outcome – the more effective it can be” (Pink, 2009, p. 66).
In regards to the use of formative assessment and assessment FOR learning, these motivational ideas may be the driving force behind doubling of the speed of learning implementing these classroom techniques (William, December 2007/January 2008). As students see their progress in learning, they are encouraged to do better and work harder.
If I had to give a title to this group of readings, I would propose, “No Teacher is an Island.”In regards to professional development, the most difficult endeavor for all subjects is “to enable people to learn new knowledge and skills and to transfer these into their practice” (Joyce & Showers, 2003, p. 2). Heritage (2007) suggests four skills teachers must effectively use to employ formative assessment. These include designing a classroom culture that permits assessment, training students to assess their work and the work of their peers, deducing the results of the assessments and seeing the instructional gap followed by choosing the correct instruction to get results (Heritage, 2007). Teacher professional learning communities are an effective way to provide peer coaching for teachers who wish to implement assessment for learning in their classrooms.
Reply to Michelle
Implementing what teachers learn during professional development is difficult if you are on your own without the support of your fellow staff members through a learning community. The advice given by William (December 2007/January 2008) to not attempt to change more than two or three things at a time, is wise. Even in our daily lives, attempting to change too many things at once in our diet or exercise habits leads to failure and discouragement. The same is true for “teaching habits”. I hope that more professional development facilitators will get beyond the information dissemination mode and on to the needed application techniques.
Week FIVE
The philosophy of education expressed by Richard Elmore (2007) is so lacking in the belief that we serve children for a higher purpose that I find his beliefs both discouraging and an explanation for his inability to help schools improve. He clearly believes that entire academic achievement of the schools rests on the shoulders of the teachers because he does not mention parents, students or administrators much and I counted seventeen times when he mentions teacher practices that need to change for schools to improve. I am not surprised at all that schools he comes to “help” flat line soon thereafter. Can you imagine his introductory speech – “do not expect improvement, you teachers are doing it all wrong.”
If you come into a school looking for “stuckness”, you will find it – most likely in the corner of the teacher’s lounge griping. However, even those that have negative outlooks toward life, as Elmore has, can be brought about through a change in school expectations and culture. If your school culture is one that fosters positive and professional attitudes among staff, the griper’s in the corner either get on board or move on.
By using the term “punctuated equilibrium” in reference to schools and stating that this is “common across all types of human development: individual, organizational, economic, and sociopolitical,” Elmore is showing his entire philosophy of life (Elmore & City, 2007) and it is one that I think is an extreme downer. Essentially, he lost my respectful attention in paragraph two.
When Charles Darwin wrote the book, The Origin of Species, he stated that unless transitional species appeared in the fossil record, his theory was false. In the 1970s, evolutionists became very frustrated with the fact that they had yet found no transitional species. During this time, Steven J. Gould proposed a new theory – “punctuated equilibrium”. This theory believes that, “…new species evolve suddenly over relatively short periods of time…, followed by longer periods in which little genetic change occurs. Punctuated equilibrium is a revision of Darwin's theory…” (punctuated equilibrium, n.d.).
Applying this godless theory with no hope to schools and children is just gross. I do not believe we are all just “food for worms”.
Question #2
The value of consensus building is the shared ownership of the process and goals to achievement. When the eventual opposition to decisions made comes, the source is usually people who are unfamiliar with the shared goals or sadly, have a personal (“best for my child”) goal in mind, which they place before the shared goals. When those that oppose the campus vision realize that the entire school is behind this process, they often “back off” realizing that the tide of positive support for the school is too strong. If they are of a sound mind, they will re-evaluate their desire to impose their personal goal on the entire campus.
Our elementary campus has built consensus with a large community based campus improvement committee. The goals are clearly established and an active character education program involving being “knighted” by real knights is a great experience for the kids. If parents have concerns about the campus culture, they can present them to the campus site-based committee.
“The purpose of committee is to improve the school in order to increase student learning, heighten the enjoyment of the school experience for students and teachers, and build stronger bonds with the community” (Fridell, 2006).
Deal, T., & Peterson, K. (1999). Shaping School Culture. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Retrieved June 23, 2011, from Dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/punctuated+equilibrium
Elmore, R., & City, E. (2007). The road to school improvement:It's hard, it's bumpy, and it takes as long as it takes. Harvard Education Letter , 23(3),1-3.
Fridell, M. (2006). The new principal's role in establishing a collaborative, progressive vision. Retrieved June 20, 2011, from National Council of the Professors Educational Administration: http://cnx.org/content/m14078/latest/
Heritage, M. (2007). Formative assessment: What do teachers need to know and do? Phi Delta Kappan , 140-145.
Jennings, J., & Rentner, D. (2006). Ten big effects of the no child left behind act on public schools. Phi Delta Kappan , 110-113.
Joyce, B., & Showers, B. (2003). Student acheivement through staff development. National College for School Leadership , 1-5.
Pink, D. H. (2009). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. New York: Penguin Group.
Ronka, D., Lachat, M., Slaughter, R., & Meltzer, J. (January 2009). Answering the questions that count. Educational Leadership , 18-24.
Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Retrieved February 28, 2011, from CAST: http://www.cast.org/teaching everystudent/ideas/tes/
Thomas, R. (2006, October). How to survive data overload. Principal Leadership , pp. 37-42.
William, D. (December 2007/January 2008). Changing classroom practice. Educational Leadership , 36-42.
What critical attributes of a positive school culture does your campus exhibit? How does your principal contribute to that positive culture?
Four characteristics of positive school culture exhibited at our elementary are a mission focused on student and teacher learning, the presence of rituals and ceremonies that reinforce core cultural values, a physical environment that symbolizes joy and pride and a widely shared sense of respect and caring for everyone. (Deal & Peterson, 1999) Our principal contributes to this culture by participation in the knighting ceremonies and character education program. She also supports the student efforts to keep the campus clean and the recycling program engaged. The principal encourages the PTO in their efforts to improve the campus physically and to provide technology to the campus through the purchase of “computers on wheels”. She is often present in the hallway greeting parents and students attending school events.
My opinion of two effects of NCLB:
#3 “Schools are paying much more attention to the alignment of the curriculum and instruction and are analyzing test score data much more closely”. This is a positive effect of NCLB. Although educators can become buried in the data, it is extremely helpful to teachers to take the test data and aggregate it by grade, class or individual student. Not only does the data point out areas of concern, it also will show student improvement. This data analysis will propel an increase in data-driven decisions even for the individual student. It also spurs motivation by positive outcomes.
#10 “NCLB requirements have meant that state governments and school districts also have expanded roles in school operations, but often without adequate federal funds to carry out their duties.” This is an extreme problem. When you realize that TEA stated that just the publishing of the new STARR and EOC exams for next year cost 89 million dollars, this is a large amount of money. It is also true that the requirement for yearly professional development is provided little to no money. As I have spent this legislative session following blogs and political arguments, I have found a great deal of criticism of public school expenditures that the general public has no clue are federal requirements of NCLB. If state and federal unfunded mandates are not lifted, so that districts can make financial decisions based on their community’s values and needs, further loss of student services that are not specified in such laws will occur. At the very least, schools will have to work to educate the public on what these unfunded mandates cost – and at some point, a push back must occur.
Response to Jason M.
Social studies and technology not taught.
The perceived lack of emphasis on social studies and technology in your school is definitely caused by the need to meet AYP, but could more readily be defined by effect #9 “the federal government is playing a bigger role in education”. Whenever Big Bro tells schools to shine to light on “X”, that means the light is dimmed on the surrounding topics. There are not enough hours or dollars to do both. Moreover, when the dollars will be taken away if schools do not comply, suggestions become mandates.
Schools are unique entities with individual flavors, values and needs. Local control is necessary to meet the needs of a community. The more mandates that are placed on schools without the money to fund the requirements, the greater loss of specialized programs unique to the local community.
Response to Colin S.
It is interesting to me that you suggest the idea of placing low achieving students all in one class to get specialized instruction. This was the craze in the 90s – the debate then was “do you want homogeneous or heterogeneous grouping?” I do not think money determined these decisions, because conceivably grouping students as such should be more efficient. Nevertheless, the problem was homogeneous grouping ended up segregating students within the campus by economic status and race. In addition, a problem created was students thought they were dumb for being placed in these groups and their expectations and their parents’ expectations for them - fell.
Personally, I like the idea of the Universal Design for Learning. Varied instruction meets the needs of each student learning style. (Rose & Meyer, 2002) Yes, students are pulled for specialized instruction at times. In addition, it is hard when some students seem to be pulled throughout the day. However, it is more important for each student to realize their potential and have to opportunity to achieve more than is expected of him. Being in a classroom with students of all abilities can teach the more gifted to walk with their peers. This gives benefit to both.
Discussion Board Week #2
Each school is required by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) to hold a public meeting after receipt of the campus performance reports (AYP & AEIS). How does your school maximize attendance at this annual meeting to ensure that a cross section of the community you serve is well represented? Do you advertise? Do you hold an appealing event along with the informational meeting agenda? Share your strategies with your group in the discussion board.
• Share the approach your campus has taken to train the staff in effective data use, or explain how you would manage this challenge when you are the principal.
Week Two
Our superintendent holds several “State of the District” presentations throughout the school year. He gives the first report in January at the school board meeting. He then also gives this presentation to the Chamber of Commerce that includes a luncheon honoring our teachers of the year. He also speaks to the Rotary club and at several PTO meetings. This month he will be giving an updated report to the local Republican Women (he did the Democrats last month). Most of these events are advertised in the newspapers and through emails. Sometimes the PTOs use the auto dialer system to let parents know.
Our campus has recently adopted the use of Aware software for student testing data. Last year the principals, counselors and over campus office personnel were trained on the program. The teachers have been trained some, but a big push will come in August to include more teachers during the professional development time to learn to navigate the software. The Aware program promises to be technology that “supports data disaggregation, provides data access, and generates useful data displays” (Ronka, Lachat, Slaughter, & Meltzer, January 2009, p. 18)
Response to
Looking at the test scores and sub-pops is a great way to determine instructional strategies for a campus. I wonder if your campus has available a program that can drill down to each student. For example, in the article Answering the Questions that Count, the authors suggest the question ”Do some of my course sections have a higher proportion of students below grade level in reading skills?” (Ronka, Lachat, Slaughter, & Meltzer, January 2009, p. 20) should be able to be answered to ensure that the data is of high quality. Although looking at TAKS data as a whole can give large goals for students such as “we need to increase 5th grade science scores”. But what if the data can be divided up to find that one aspect of the science test is tripping up the students.
Discussion Board #3 Week
Review how to survive data overload. What do you think of the tool titled team dialogue guide. What do you think of the reflection guide? How might you introduce these tools and use them with your teachers?
Having been out of the teaching field for several years, I am not that knowledgeable about teachers in their interactions with committees and the need to formulate school wide initiatives. I have served on committees both in church and in the community and I can see where a dialogue guide is necessary. Especially in church committees, where some are full time employed and want the meeting to be efficient and quick so they can get home and then others who see the meeting as their social event for the day and are in no hurry to go anywhere.
When lots of data is involved, people have a tendency to focus in on the data that is most important to them. It is a good process to search through the data from three sources as someone’s fears may be assuaged when they see the big picture. This also helps the group to come to a consensus about what is the most important goal to achieve. The teachers/staff can then take ownership of the goal since they all went down the same path to get to that goal. Thomas states, “unless the team emerges from the data analysis process with a clear plan of action for identified students and for classroom instruction, it has wasted its time” (Thomas, 2006).
The reflection guide is useful not only in the group setting to gain insight as to what is working in the school, but also for the individual teacher. He/she can reflect upon the methods and practices they have used in the classroom and how those have benefitted students.
As a principal, I may introduce the reflection guide first maybe with the gift of a journal. Teachers could then begin the process early in the year and record successes and failures. These journal entries parlay into useful in-class assessment data.
Week 4
It is interesting to me that after all the research done, tests required, and theories produced, that the most effective way to increase student achievement gains is to allow the teachers and students dual ownership in the progress of their learning. This is not the extrinsic motivation schools often provide. For example, extrinsic motivation is an invitation to the Accelerated Reading Store to use the points you have earned to buy candy and toys. However, intrinsic motivation is much more difficult to cultivate in people (students). Author Daniel Pink in his book, Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us (2009) states, “Give people meaningful information about their work. The more feedback focuses on specifics…-and the more the praise is about effort and strategy rather than about achieving a particular outcome – the more effective it can be” (Pink, 2009, p. 66).
In regards to the use of formative assessment and assessment FOR learning, these motivational ideas may be the driving force behind doubling of the speed of learning implementing these classroom techniques (William, December 2007/January 2008). As students see their progress in learning, they are encouraged to do better and work harder.
If I had to give a title to this group of readings, I would propose, “No Teacher is an Island.”In regards to professional development, the most difficult endeavor for all subjects is “to enable people to learn new knowledge and skills and to transfer these into their practice” (Joyce & Showers, 2003, p. 2). Heritage (2007) suggests four skills teachers must effectively use to employ formative assessment. These include designing a classroom culture that permits assessment, training students to assess their work and the work of their peers, deducing the results of the assessments and seeing the instructional gap followed by choosing the correct instruction to get results (Heritage, 2007). Teacher professional learning communities are an effective way to provide peer coaching for teachers who wish to implement assessment for learning in their classrooms.
Reply to Michelle
Implementing what teachers learn during professional development is difficult if you are on your own without the support of your fellow staff members through a learning community. The advice given by William (December 2007/January 2008) to not attempt to change more than two or three things at a time, is wise. Even in our daily lives, attempting to change too many things at once in our diet or exercise habits leads to failure and discouragement. The same is true for “teaching habits”. I hope that more professional development facilitators will get beyond the information dissemination mode and on to the needed application techniques.
Week FIVE
The philosophy of education expressed by Richard Elmore (2007) is so lacking in the belief that we serve children for a higher purpose that I find his beliefs both discouraging and an explanation for his inability to help schools improve. He clearly believes that entire academic achievement of the schools rests on the shoulders of the teachers because he does not mention parents, students or administrators much and I counted seventeen times when he mentions teacher practices that need to change for schools to improve. I am not surprised at all that schools he comes to “help” flat line soon thereafter. Can you imagine his introductory speech – “do not expect improvement, you teachers are doing it all wrong.”
If you come into a school looking for “stuckness”, you will find it – most likely in the corner of the teacher’s lounge griping. However, even those that have negative outlooks toward life, as Elmore has, can be brought about through a change in school expectations and culture. If your school culture is one that fosters positive and professional attitudes among staff, the griper’s in the corner either get on board or move on.
By using the term “punctuated equilibrium” in reference to schools and stating that this is “common across all types of human development: individual, organizational, economic, and sociopolitical,” Elmore is showing his entire philosophy of life (Elmore & City, 2007) and it is one that I think is an extreme downer. Essentially, he lost my respectful attention in paragraph two.
When Charles Darwin wrote the book, The Origin of Species, he stated that unless transitional species appeared in the fossil record, his theory was false. In the 1970s, evolutionists became very frustrated with the fact that they had yet found no transitional species. During this time, Steven J. Gould proposed a new theory – “punctuated equilibrium”. This theory believes that, “…new species evolve suddenly over relatively short periods of time…, followed by longer periods in which little genetic change occurs. Punctuated equilibrium is a revision of Darwin's theory…” (punctuated equilibrium, n.d.).
Applying this godless theory with no hope to schools and children is just gross. I do not believe we are all just “food for worms”.
Question #2
The value of consensus building is the shared ownership of the process and goals to achievement. When the eventual opposition to decisions made comes, the source is usually people who are unfamiliar with the shared goals or sadly, have a personal (“best for my child”) goal in mind, which they place before the shared goals. When those that oppose the campus vision realize that the entire school is behind this process, they often “back off” realizing that the tide of positive support for the school is too strong. If they are of a sound mind, they will re-evaluate their desire to impose their personal goal on the entire campus.
Our elementary campus has built consensus with a large community based campus improvement committee. The goals are clearly established and an active character education program involving being “knighted” by real knights is a great experience for the kids. If parents have concerns about the campus culture, they can present them to the campus site-based committee.
“The purpose of committee is to improve the school in order to increase student learning, heighten the enjoyment of the school experience for students and teachers, and build stronger bonds with the community” (Fridell, 2006).
Deal, T., & Peterson, K. (1999). Shaping School Culture. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Retrieved June 23, 2011, from Dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/punctuated+equilibrium
Elmore, R., & City, E. (2007). The road to school improvement:It's hard, it's bumpy, and it takes as long as it takes. Harvard Education Letter , 23(3),1-3.
Fridell, M. (2006). The new principal's role in establishing a collaborative, progressive vision. Retrieved June 20, 2011, from National Council of the Professors Educational Administration: http://cnx.org/content/m14078/latest/
Heritage, M. (2007). Formative assessment: What do teachers need to know and do? Phi Delta Kappan , 140-145.
Jennings, J., & Rentner, D. (2006). Ten big effects of the no child left behind act on public schools. Phi Delta Kappan , 110-113.
Joyce, B., & Showers, B. (2003). Student acheivement through staff development. National College for School Leadership , 1-5.
Pink, D. H. (2009). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. New York: Penguin Group.
Ronka, D., Lachat, M., Slaughter, R., & Meltzer, J. (January 2009). Answering the questions that count. Educational Leadership , 18-24.
Rose, D., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. Retrieved February 28, 2011, from CAST: http://www.cast.org/teaching everystudent/ideas/tes/
Thomas, R. (2006, October). How to survive data overload. Principal Leadership , pp. 37-42.
William, D. (December 2007/January 2008). Changing classroom practice. Educational Leadership , 36-42.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
May Monthly Field-based Activities 2011
This was a light month again on my internship. Two hours were earned interviewing the business manger through email and the technology director also. I desired to learn about the information system that our district was moving to over the summer and the advantages claimed for this program. I am looking forward to better teacher / parent communication as a result of the change. I also shared a physics ebook with the science teachers at our Middle School. This website developed by MIT allows students to visually see on the page the changes within a reaction or change in an object. Very interesting! http://web.mit.edu/viz/EM/flash/E&M_Master/E&M.swf
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
