My Reflection

This research class has been a wonderful introduction to the classes that I will be taking in the future.  I have learned so much about research and I will be able to use what I have learned and apply it.  The blogs, discussions, readings, videos, and web conferences have be wonderful resources in helping me understand this course.

Developing my research plan was a lot more complicated than I realized.  It made me have to stop and think on a different level.  I now understand that in order for me to be a successful administrator, I have to think and make decisions like one.  Once I finally decided on a research plan I felt better about the project and have since began to put the plan into action.  I still have areas that I need to improve on but know that will come with time. 

Shamieka Dotson

Action Research Plan

EDLD 5301 EA 1300

Goal: To determine which intervention methods will be most effective for first grade struggling students and to collaborate with the first grade teachers on a weekly basis about the progress and performance of the students.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Conduct weekly grade level meetings with an administrator where we will discuss the progress of the students.	S. Dotson, first grade teachers, curriculum coordinator, and an administrator	This plan will begin in May 2012 and end in May 2013.	Istation Reports and 6 weeks exams for the 5th six weeks	Istation Reports, weekly exams, and 6 weeks exams
Conduct weekly grade level meetings and share ideas and discuss which methods are working, which are not, and what areas we can improve in.	S. Dotson, first grade teachers, curriculum coordinator, and an administrator	This plan will be weekly  beginning in May 2012 and end in May 2013.	Istation Reports, weekly exams, and 6 weeks exams for the 5th six weeks	Istation Reports, weekly exams, and 6 weeks exams
Every month, students will take an Istation test that will inform the teacher of their reading progress and their tier movement. There will be weekly reading and math test as well as six weeks test. This will also be discussed at the weekly meeting in order to better decide on the method that should be taken.	S. Dotson, first grade teachers, curriculum coordinator, and an administrator	Every month except  summer months	Istation Reports, weekly exams, and 6 weeks exams for the 5th six weeks	Istation Reports, weekly exams, and 6 weeks exams

After listening to all three scholars, I learned that increasing the success of a campus depends on the ability of the leader to analyze data and provide training for teachers to learn to correctly analyze data.  Data is an important piece in the action research process and each of the speakers stated how they used data to drive their decisions on their campus.  Good leaders continue to educate themselves as well as educate their faculty.  This form of teamwork is what makes a campus exemplary.

educational blog

Educational blogs are a useful tool for educators and community members because of the immediate feedback that is shared.

research

Principals often make a deliberate and methodical study of administrative procedures and duties, and decide actions based on what has been learned from the findings. These findings which are based on a person's resolve to overcome something that can’t be measure to certain standards or might not necessarily be obvious is called action research. Action research bring about changes in which brings out improvement for the school, individuals and the community. The final product of the research is a result of his or her due diligence towards the final outcome of the subject matter.  The Principal uses this process of action research because the researched finding would be broken down with the intention of making schools, kids, and the community better for everyone in mind. Principals often use a best and worst case thought process approach to go along with the collection of data, as well as, written text to plan improvements for learning on multiple sectors of the community. The best and worst case questioning approach is based on scenario that range from school activities, building for the school, and leadership roles. Principals usually seek counsel from teachers, community members, and other educational entities to gather information that can be used as a guiding force for improvement in areas of in-services, staff training and other needed educational/vocational improvements. The administrator will seek the advice from many different sectors of people so that he can truly have no child left behind due to neglecting of a particulars race/group of people