My Plan...

I hope that I am on the right track!  I have ideas but it difficult for me to get them organized on paper.  I guess it's good that I created the plan first so that I have some direction when I get started on my research journey!!

Here it is...

Setting the Foundation-My campus is an exemplary campus. We are concerned, however, that the commended scores are the lowest in the district. My research will allow us to make connections between low commended scores and the use of higher level thinking skills in lessons and activities. I wonder how many teachers are “teaching the test” and never going beyond. By using higher level thinking skills in the classroom, teachers are giving kids the skills they need to solve multi step problems as well as how to connect their prior knowledge to what they are working on at the time. I am curious to know if teachers are trained in using higher level thinking skills in lessons and they have the support on campus they need to effectively implement these skills in their classrooms, will the commended scores on the TAKS test show improvement. If anything, students will have gained deeper knowledge and connections for topics and skills.


Analyzing Data-We will use TAKS data from the 2009-2010 school year as well as lesson plans submitted online by teachers each week. By comparing the use of higher level thinking in lessons and activities with the commended scores of students in theses classrooms, we will get a picture of how these thinking skills affect test scores. We will also look at checkpoint data, end of unit tests, report card grades, etc. to track student achievement throughout the year. I would also like to conduct teacher surveys that focus on the level of comfort teachers feel using the deeper levels of knowledge in their lessons. This data will allow the leadership team and myself to plan better professional development opportunities that are tailored to the needs of the staff as well as the needs of the students. At the end of the year, we will compare 2009-2010 TAKS scores to the current year scores in order to see if our effort to raise commended scores by implementing higher level thinking skills in all classrooms has been successful.

Developing Deeper Understanding-Professional development opportunities for teachers and staff that focus on implementing higher level thinking in lessons and activities will be available all year. Teacher book studies or study groups will be encouraged as well as whole staff discussions on the topic. Teachers will be encouraged to form/join a campus goal team that looks deeper into the use of higher level thinking skills. A student survey would also be beneficial to find out how students feel about the new types of lessons and activities they are being asked to participate in. Do they appreciate/understand the ability to analyze or evaluate a concept as opposed to just getting the facts about a topic and then stopping there? Do they see a difference in the way that teachers are teaching and asking questions? Is this new way more fun and engaging to the students?

Engaging in Self Reflection-What evidence do teachers need to see in order to “buy into” the idea of using deeper thinking in their lessons? With the budget crisis on our campus/district, how can we give teachers the opportunities they need to develop their lesson planning skills? If teachers are not using higher level thinking skills in their lessons after they have had some training, what should be done? How will teachers be held accountable for implementing these skills in their classrooms? Will lower level teachers see the need to use these skills in their classrooms since they do not have students who are testing? Will lower level teachers see the importance of fostering these thinking skills at an early age in order to give students the opportunities to be successful as learners throughout their career?

Exploring Programmatic Patterns-Teachers are being held accountable for using higher level thinking skills in their lessons. Lesson plans are reviewed on a weekly basis to make sure that questioning and activities are engaging students in deeper thinking. During walkthroughs, the leadership team will be looking for evidence that teachers are asking students to apply their knowledge in some way. K-5 teachers should be embracing the challenge of changing their views and ideas of questioning and should be exploring growth in the area of higher level thinking skills. The culture and climate of the campus should reflect the new vision of a campus that strives for deeper knowledge. Celebrations will be held during staff meetings for teachers who feel that they have made positive and effective changes for students in their classrooms. Data review with the whole staff will also be imperative in order to create that “buy in”. If teachers are able to see data that backs up an idea, they are more likely to take part in the change.

Determining Direction-

*To determine if higher level thinking skills in lessons and activities affects student achievement, specifically on the TAKS test commended scores.

*To determine if teachers are using higher level thinking skills in lessons and activities.

*To determine if teachers have the knowledge and training necessary to effectively use higher level thinking skills in their classrooms.

*To determine what professional development opportunities are necessary for teachers to be successful in implementing these skills in their classrooms.

Taking Action for School Improvement-There will be a campus goal team that focuses on student achievement and ways to improve success. This goal team will be a huge help in looking into ideas and ways to implement higher level thinking in the classrooms as well as a team of colleagues to get feedback from.

*Meet with the campus instructional coach to discuss/plan some professional development opportunities focusing on higher level thinking skills for the staff.

Kate Howell
Aaron McWilliams, Principal
Wendy Massey, Instructional Coach
Lana Sather, GT Specialist on campus
August 2010/May 2011
Campus/district “experts” on higher level thinking
Weekly/monthly meeting times for gathering together for professional learning
Possible purchase of materials/professional reading that focuses on higher level thinking skills.
The campus principal will document the use of higher level thinking skills as he completes his evaluations. Follow-up walkthroughs will reveal the use of higher level thinking skills in more effective ways.
Teacher surveys will provide information on how comfortable teachers are using these skills in lessons and how they feel students are responding to the deeper learning.
Test scores will give hard data on how effective implementing these skills in the classroom has been.

*Compare commended scores on the 2009-2010 TAKS test to lesson plans turned in throughout the year. Look at the lessons planned and the thinking skills used. Compare this with students commended scores. Did students that had lessons that used deeper thinking score better than those students who used only understanding and topic level thinking skills?

Kate Howell
Lauri Allen, Assistant Principal
August 2010/September 2010
TAKS score sheets
Lesson plans submitted online by 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade teachers
We will gain information about the connection between the commended scores and higher level thinking skills by examining the lesson plans. We will be able to show hard data to the staff that shows a connection by September 2010. This data will drive the professional development focusing on higher level thinking skills.

*Track student progress on Checkpoint Tests, End of Unit tests, etc. throughout the year for growth.

Kate Howell
Lauri Allen, Assistant Principal
Wendy Massey, Instructional Coach
3rd, 4th, 5th grade teachers October
2010/June 2011
Testing data (checkpoints, CBAs, unit tests, TAKS scores) Tracking data throughout the year will allow us to see if using these higher level thinking skills in lessons is having an effect on test scores and overall achievement.

*Weekly lesson plans are submitted and reviewed for evidence of higher level thinking skills.

Lauri Allen, Assistant Principal
September 2010/June 2011
Lesson Plans submitted online By monitoring the lessons planned by teachers, the leadership team can pinpoint the teachers who may be struggling with higher level thinking in their lessons. These teachers would be encouraged to attend the weekly/monthly study groups on deeper thinking. The instructional coach could also be a helpful resource.

*End of the year TAKS test data review.

Kate Howell
Aaron McWilliams, Principal
Lauri Allen, Assistant Principal
Wendy Massey, Instructional Coach
May 2011/June 2011
Official TAKS data from the state This data will give us scores to compare to the prior year. It will allow us to look at our commended scores and see if our efforts have ended in success. If so, we will continue to learn more about higher level thinking skills and how we can use them most effectively in our classrooms. If our scores do not show improvement, another year of action research into other possible reasons for low commended scores will be necessary to meet our goal of being within the average commended rates for the district.

Sustain Improvement-I plan to celebrate positive findings from this research project with my campus. If steps were proven to be effective, these steps should become best practices for my campus in order to maintain the high expectations for our students.

Purpose and Significance of my Action Research Project

Purpose


The purpose of this research project is to investigate the effectiveness of using higher level thinking skills during classroom lessons in raising commended rates on the TAKS test.



Significance

Teachers will begin to plan lessons that ask students to demonstrate the knowledge of a topic by using application and evaluation skills. By looking deeper into their lessons and creating activities that use higher level thinking skills, teachers are creating more effective lessons for their students.

Students will gain problem solving skills that will enable them to apply their knowledge in real world situations as well as complex multi-step questions on standardized tests.

What have I learned about action research...A LOT!!

     Action research is a systematic way of bringing about change in your school or personal practice from the inside.  Administrators are asking questions about their schools or their own practice and identifying areas of need, strengths, and weaknesses.  This is a process that allows you to study what is happening in your school and make changes based on what you have learned.
     Professional development is changing because of action research.  The benefit of this process as opposed to the "sit and get" sessions we all love to hate is the ownership that the stakeholders have in the change process.  Administrators and schools teams are tackling problems on their own campus in order to make needed changes for student success.  By becoming the researcher, "question asker", "brainstormer", etc. teachers are feeling like a part of the solution.  In the past, someone has told us strategies that will work without even really knowing the full situation.  When teachers are the ones digging through literature, trying out new strategies, and reviewing data that is specific to their school, the change makes more sense and is embraced by the campus stakeholders. 
     A huge benefit that I see as a result of action research is that schools are coming together, as collaborative learning teams, to reach a common goal.  It is imperative to make changes for the kids in our schools today.  As action researchers, we are strategically looking for the best solutions, programs, and strategies for student success. 
         

Educational Leaders Using Blogs!

Blogging is a great tool for bouncing ideas off of each other, sharing successes, and asking for advice when tough situations are looming.  Here is a way to connect with educational leaders across the country.  What a neat place to compare data with others in the country that might have the same economic make up as your school.   This connection with other educators is just another resource we have access to.  It opens up endless possibilities to discuss strategies and ideas for student success in our schools.