Teacher Survey

Although it has been a while since I have updated my blog I have been busy working on my action research. I developed a survey for the third grade teachers in my building to find out how they currently develop their classroom climate. I was hoping to do a pre and post Responsive Classroom training survey. I am hoping to see some type of effect on teaching and classroom climate based on the teachers attending this training.
One of the findings from the survey showed that although the teachers are not fully embracing the Responsive Classroom approach they are using piece without realizing it. Several of the teachers attempt to develop their classroom rules with their students. The pieces that is missing from their current practices is the development of students personal Hopes and Dreams for the years as well as having conversations about the language used in the rules. They should be developed using positive language, absent of the words such as no, don't, or can't. Another finding from their survey is that about 65% of the teachers feel that their students are not honest, because they are afraid of getting in some type of trouble. The remain 35% of teachers feel that their students are honest because they have developed a community that teaches students it is okay to make mistakes, and they are using some of the Responsive Classroom strategies.

Course Reflection

This course has been an eye-opening experience. I have always been afraid of the word research because I thought it meant long hours spent in the library reading articles and writing a thesis about my findings. Action research is such a wonderful tool to help refine our practice as educators and administrators, but it is also a wonderful way to look at the effects of making change in our school. Change in a school can have both positive and negative effects and by engaging in action researcher we are able to take a closer look at those effects and make further changes and modifications to ensure that we are making the best, positive, changes to our schools.

Updates Action Research Plan

This week I made several changes to my plan. It started with a meeting I attended during the early part of the week that resulted in new ideas forming to train the entire staff of our school in the Responsive Classroom approach of the course of the next year rather than just the third grade. I was very excited about this change, but it did mean taking another look at my plan. During my meeting with my supervisor we together made a few changes to the plan to make it stronger. I am very pleased with my revised draft. Here it is for you all to take a look at. 

Implementation of Responsive Classroom Action Research Plan

Goal: To examine the effectiveness of the Responsive Classroom approach in creating a stronger positive climate in our school.

           Question: Does the implementation of the Responsive Classroom approach help create a stronger positive behavior culture for the students in grade three?

Action Steps	Persons Responsible	Timeline Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1. Create a survey using survey monkey to assess students’ and teachers’ feelings towards school climate prior to implementation.	Allyson Story and Catherine O’Keefe (to approve before students complete survey)	September 15-October 3, 2011	Access to Survey Monkey	Analyze the results of the survey for students’ and teachers’ opinions toward the school/classroom climate. Compare teacher and student responses to identify similarities and differences.
2.  Attend a planning meeting with Administration and Responsive Classroom Training team to develop a strategic implementation plan to train all teachers at the 3-5 level.	Virginia Rico Catherine O’Keefe Tom Ford Allyson Story Jennifer Ringelheim Jodie Luongo Donna Nordone	September 13, 2011	School Calendar List of resources needed for training	Create a strategic plan to train all teachers in our school within the next year.
3. Attend a meeting with the Assistant Superintendent to present the strategic plan for Responsive Classroom training  at our building level to gain his approval.	Virginia Rico Catherine O’Keefe Tom Ford Allyson Story Jennifer Ringelheim Jodie Luongo Donna Nordone	September 2011	Strategic Plan proposal	Gaining the approval to move forward with the training plan that has been designed to train all teachers at limited expense to the school or district.
4. Review research on Responsive Classroom approach	Allyson Story	October 2011 to be completed by November 2011	Teaching Children to Care by Ruth Charney Other published journal articles on Responsive Classroom	Review notes collected from readings that highlight findings the demonstrate effectiveness of the Responsive Classroom approach.
5. Conduct a grade level meeting to discuss teachers’ current strategies for creating a positive classroom climate.	Allyson Story	October 2011 to be completed by November 2011	Meeting space and time to meet with teachers.	Discuss teachers’ ideas and strategies that are currently used. What is currently being done? What is working? What would teachers like to see changed?
6. Observe teachers during first 3 weeks of school develop their classroom community. Both previously trained RC teachers and non RC teachers.	Allyson Story with approval from Catherine O’Keefe and Virginia Rico	To be started during the week of September 12, 2011 and completed by September 29, 2011	Access to third grade classrooms to do observations.	Discuss observations with both the teachers and the administrative team. What is working? What is not working?
7. Train third grade teachers to use the Responsive Classroom approach.	Allyson Story Jennifer Ringelheim Jodie Luongo Donna Nordone	To begin five day training in October and Completed by March 2012	Responsive Classroom Training Materials Workbooks for all participants	Compare the evaluation forms from participants in the training to understand teachers’ comfort level with implementing this new approach. To find out what support needs to be provided.
8. Observe teachers using the Responsive Classroom strategies.	Allyson Story with approval from Catherine O’Keefe and Virginia Rico	April 2012 ongoing through May 2012	Access to third grade classrooms to do observations	Classroom Observations
9. Coach individual classroom teachers to provide support toward the implementation of RC.	Allyson Story, Jennifer Ringelheim, Jodie Luongo, Donna Nordone	January 2012 through April 2012	Access to classrooms to work with teachers	Compare past practices used by teachers with RC approach being implemented to note changes in classroom climate.
10. Conduct a post survey for students and teachers to again share their feelings about school climate.	Allyson Story with approval from Catherine O’Keefe Third grade classroom teachers and students	To be completed in May 2011	Access to Survey Monkey	Analyze results of the survey from the third grade students.
9. Compare results from the surveys and make further recommendations to school administration team.	Allyson Story	To be completed by June 2011	Results from both surveys conducted on Survey Monkey.	Looking at data collected in the two surveys to find improvements in students’ feedback about school climate.

Process for Monitoring Improvements: To monitor the process of this research I will set up meetings with my supervisor after each step is completed to go over the findings and make adjustments to the next steps based on the results of earlier findings.

Assessment Tools: The survey results from the third grade classes will be used to evaluate if the implementation of Responsive Classroom and its effects on creating a stronger positive behavior climate.

Responsive Classroom Action Research Plan

Goal: To examine the effectiveness of the Responsive Classroom approach in creating a stronger positive climate in grade three.

           Question: Does the implementation of the Responsive Classroom approach help create a stronger positive behavior culture for the students in grade three?

Action Steps	Persons Responsible	Timeline Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1. Create a survey using survey monkey to assess students feelings towards school climate prior to implementation.	Allyson Story and Catherine O’Keefe (to approve before students complete survey)	September 15-October 3, 2011	Access to Survey Monkey	Analyze the results of the survey for students opinions toward the school/classroom climate.
2. Review research on Responsive Classroom approach	Allyson Story	October 2011 to be completed by November 2011	Teaching Children to Care by Ruth Charney Other published journal articles on Responsive Classroom	Review notes collected from readings that highlight findings the demonstrate effectiveness of the Responsive Classroom approach.
3. Conduct a grade level meeting to discuss teachers’ current strategies for creating a positive classroom climate.	Allyson Story	October 2011 to be completed by November 2011	Meeting space and time to meet with teachers.	Discuss teachers’ ideas and strategies that are currently used. What is currently being done? What is working? What would teachers like to see changed?
4. Observe teachers during first 3 weeks of school develop their classroom community. Both previously trained RC teachers and non RC teachers.	Allyson Story with approval from Catherine O’Keefe and Virginia Rico	To be started during the week of September 12, 2011 and completed by September 29, 2011	Access to third grade classrooms to do observations.	Discuss observations with both the teachers and the administrative team. What is working? What is not working?
5. Train third grade teachers to use the Responsive Classroom approach.	Allyson Story and Jennifer Ringelheim (co-trainer)	To begin five day training in October and Completed by March 2012	Responsive Classroom Training Materials Workbooks for all participants	Compare the evaluation forms from participants in the training to understand teachers’ comfort level with implementing this new approach. To find out what support needs to be provided.
6. Observe teachers using the Responsive Classroom strategies.	Allyson Story with approval from Catherine O’Keefe and Virginia Rico	April 2012 ongoing through May 2012	Access to third grade classrooms to do observations	Classroom Observations
7. Work with individual classroom teachers to provide support toward the implementation of RC.	Allyson Story, Jennifer Ringelheim, Jodie Luongo, Donna Nordone	January 2012 through April 2012	Access to classrooms to work with teachers	Compare past practices used by teachers with RC approach being implemented to note changes in classroom climate.
8. Conduct a post survey for students to again share their feelings about school climate.	Allyson Story with approval from Catherine O’Keefe Third grade classroom teachers and students	To be completed in May 2011	Access to Survey Monkey	Analyze results of the survey from the third grade students.
9. Compare results from the surveys and make further recommendations to school administration team.	Allyson Story	To be completed by June 2011	Results from both surveys conducted on Survey Monkey.	Looking at data collected in the two surveys to find improvements in students’ feedback about school climate.

Process for Monitoring Improvements: To monitor the process of this research I will set up meetings with my supervisor after each step is completed to go over the findings and make adjustments to the next steps based on the results of earlier findings.

Assessment Tools: The survey results from the third grade classes will be used to evaluate if the implementation of Responsive Classroom and its effects on creating a stronger positive behavior climate.

Week Two Reflection

After looking at this weeks videos and doing the readings I better understand how administrators are using action research effectively. I can really see the value in doing this type of work because it comes from the “researchers” wonderings and therefore there is a high level of motivation. After looking at all of the examples I am happy to see that the research is imbedded in what is currently being done within their schools.  It is also based on real needs. All decisions that are made I am glad to see are based on data that has been collected, this shows support for the changes. I am anxious to move forward with my own action research.

Education Leaders and Blogs

Educational leaders can use blogs to share their ideas with other leaders as well as gain feedback and ideas to help them better their school communities. By using a blog leaders are able to communicate with other leaders so that they do not feel isolated. This allows for a broader support system.

What is action research??

Action research is an approach to inquiry in any situation that requires the person to be engaged in the research process. Carr and Kemmis state that action research is about the improvement of practice, the improvement of the understanding of practice, and the improvement the situation in which the practice takes place. Action research allows the researcher to develop their essential question, develop their research plan, collect data, analyze data, and interpret the data to make changes in their practice. Although action research/inquiry requires a lot of time it can help an administrator make meaningful changes to their schools.  By participating in practitioner inquiry, the principal develops a sense of ownership in the knowledge constructed, and this sense of ownership heavily contributes to the possibilities for real change in schools. (Dana, 2009, p10) It allows an administrator to continue to be a learner as well as a role model for the students and teachers in their buildings. By engaging in action research a principal is “doing” for him or herself rather than having things being “done” to them.

            I feel that can use action research to help me gain a better understanding of how the Responsive Classroom approach can support my school in creating a community that does not tolerate bullying.  I feel that by engaging in my own action research I can better understand how to serve and support the students and teachers in my school community.  I like that idea that action research is based on the idea that it is a practioner generated question.  I feel for myself that this would motivate me even more to engage in the research/inquiry process.