Here are just a few of my thoughts about different parts of this class.  I enjoyed the class, but I am looking forward to the three week break to get all caught up on my reflections for the embedded hours and my internship!

Lectures:  The lectures are informative and I really like the way Dr. Arterbury and Dr. Jenkins try to mix it up and have fun with their lectures.  It is quite a difference taking classes online instead of being in the classroom with your professor.  I like that they try to keep it interesting.  I have looked forward to each lecture every week.  It is also nice to have the lecture notes so that I can take notes and read along as they speak.  This reinforces both of my styles of learning, both auditory and visual.  I especially liked the lectures in this course that included the guest speakers that spoke about their research projects from their dissertations. It is really great to hear and see former students talk about their projects.

Readings:  I am really glad I chose to invest money in these books, Leading with Passion and Knowledge by Nancy Dana and Examining What We Do To Improve Our Schools by Harris, Edmonson, and Combs.  I have highlighted a lot of information in both books as I read.  I intend to refer back to them for years. All of the Tools in the Examining book will be very beneficial.  In the Dana book, I felt that the nine passions for inquiry was very helpful to understand that there are many places within a school system where research can be done.

Searches:  I did not really understand this part of the class that well or understand that I was supposed to use these links to help me with my research project.  I am not sure where I missed understanding that these were links to aid in my research. I am only going to hope that the reason I missed it was because I already thought of something to research on my own.  My principal had suggested that I read the books she had from author Richard DuFour.  Once I started reading these books, I started to recognize some of the things that my principal was starting to implement very slowing into our school.  She then told me what she had done in her previous school and what she was planning to do at our school.  Since I wanted the common assessments to be my first research project, I didn’t look through the search links in depth.  I did save the list to my personal computer so that I will always have it for quick reference.

Assignments & Activities:  I felt all the assignments and activities were very appropriate for the class and gave me good experiences for the future.  I think the research project is going to be a huge assignment, but will be a good experience to put in my vita and be able to talk about during an interview.  I am glad to have to be forced to participate in the project or otherwise when I do become a principal I would have been less likely to ever do an action research project at my school.  This will definitely take away the fear.  I can get the first time jitters out and be more likely to continue to do action research over and over during my career.

Discussion Board: The discussion board has been one of my favorite parts of all my classes.  I like the way it is set up.  I have never participated in anything like this before starting my master’s degree.  It is easy to see when and who posted something and read all the replies.  Unlike the blogs, I feel it is way more user friendly.  I enjoyed reading everyone’s comments and answers to their discussion questions.

Web conferences:  I also really enjoyed the web conferences with Dr. Mason.  I am an older student returning to school and this is my first time to participate in an online course.  It has taken me time to warm up and learn all the things that go along with online classes.  The first class had web conferences, but I was a little scared and wasn’t quite sure what I was doing.  Now I am much more confident in using the web conference website.  Dr. Mason was really nice and I felt much more connected with this class because of the web conferences.

Blogs:  I appreciated being asked to make a blog because otherwise I probably never would have done one.  I have friends that have blogs, but I do not read them.  They use theirs to write about their days and their families.  I do not have time to sit and read all that.  I never thought about teachers writing about their classes or teaching experiences.  That kind of writing I do have time for, but I do have to watch myself.  If I find something I am interested in I can spend many hours on the computer and before I know it I have nothing done in my personal life!

I made a few more changes... :)

Revised Action Planning for Julie Nicholson EA 1300 May 6, 2012 Goal/Outcome: Will implementing at least 2 math common assessments over the course of the 2012-2013 School Year help to increase 3rd grade student performance on the End of Year MAP test? Below is the process for monitoring the achievement of my goals and objectives Activities designed to achieve the objectives: Persons responsible for implementation Timeline for completion or implementation Resources and research tools needed Assessment instrument to evaluate the effectiveness Meet with the principal to decide on my research project Sarika Pride, principal Julie Nicholson April 2012 List of topics I created for the nine passions assignment I chose student performance Help the principal develop a survey to give to the teachers to establish the needs for professional development for 2012-2013 Sarika Pride, principal Maureen Yervasi, Asst. Principal Julie Nicholson June 2012 Review of survey questions used in the past Use electronic survey Survey results Completed plan for professional development Decide on the ten core skills needed for all third graders to know by the end of the year to be prepared for fourth grade math Administrators Curriculum Team Team Leaders Late July Early August AMC anywhere program reports EOY MAP data from 2nd grade Teacher input A complete list of the ten skills that third grade math students need to master for continued success in fourth grade math curriculum Create at least two 3rd grade common math assessments that will determine mastery of the selected core math skills Third grade math teachers Julie Nicholson, curriculum September 2012 - May 2013 Exam View EnVision curriculum 3rd grade math TEKS The finished and agreed upon assessments After each assessment re-evaluate our tactics for working with the students and discuss what worked, what did not Third grade team Julie Nicholson Sarika Pride, principal TBD: based on the date of the assessments Assessments Assessments results Compile the data in a graph to assess teacher effectiveness and accountability Anecdotal notes Use data to determine next steps for training, if necessary, and organize instructional groups based on data Sarika Pride, Principal Victoria Cole, Instructional Specialist Julie Nicholson, Curriculum Ongoing throughout the year Common assessment results Master schedule Plans from the data meetings Keep a journal of our data meetings Provide intervention to the students Third grade teachers Intervention specialists Title I tutors September 2012 – May 2013 Walk-throughs by the principal during intervention Anecdotal notes Repeat the common assessments throughout the year Third grade team Julie Nicholson, curriculum Every 6 weeks Common Assessments Keeping MAP RIT and PES Target Scores in mind Common Assessment Scores Get teacher feedback about how they felt the year went and how they view the success of core skill identification and student mastery of the core skills Third grade team Julie Nicholson, curriculum End of May – First of June 2013 Third grade Teachers Title I tutors Teacher Interviews Teacher Reflections or another survey Cupcake Celebration Third grade team Julie Nicholson Sarika Pride Tutors After the last MAP scores are reported, compared to PES target scores, and % of growth is determined. cupcakes Smiles, happy teachers, and happy third grade students! J Share the results Third grade team Julie Nicholson, Curriculum Throughout the year as time permits at faculty meetings or early release days All data collected and compiled with a power point presentation Use the CARE model in small groups with the faculty to sustain improvements

Week 4 Revised Action Research Plan

Here are my week 4 revisions I made after getting feedback from a couple of sources.
 

Action Planning Template for Julie Nicholson EA 1300
Goal/Outcome: In what ways will implementing 6 common assessments over the course of the 2012-2013 School Year increase 3rd grade student performance by the End of Year MAP test? Below is the process for monitoring the achievement of my goals and objectives
Activities designed to achieve the objectives:	Persons responsible for implementation	Timeline for completion or implementation	Resources and research tools needed	Assessment instrument to evaluate the effectiveness
Meet with the principal to decide on my research project	Sarika Pride, principal Julie Nicholson	April 2012	List of topics I created for the nine passions assignment	I chose student performance
Help the principal develop a survey to give to the teachers to establish the needs for professional development for 2012-2013	Sarika Pride, principal Maureen Yervasi, Asst. Principal Julie Nicholson	June 2012	Review of survey questions used in the past	Survey results Completed plan for professional development
Decide on the ten core skills needed for all third graders to know by the end of the year to be successful in fourth grade math	Administrators Curriculum Team Team Leaders	Late July Early August	AMC anywhere program reports EOY MAP data from 2nd grade Teacher input	A complete list of the ten skills that third grade math students need to master for continued success in fourth grade math curriculum
Create the six common math assessments that will determine mastery of the selected core math skills	Third grade math teachers Fourth grade math teacher Julie Nicholson, curriculum	September 2012 - May 2013	Exam View EnVision curriculum 3rd grade math TEKS	The finished and agreed upon assessments
Determine if training is necessary for teaching to be successful in the intervention of the core skills	Sarika Pride, Principal Victoria Cole, Instructional Specialist Julie Nicholson, Curriculum	August 2012	Survey results	The professional development plan
Organize instructional groupings and content to be taught based on our findings from each of the math assessments	Third grade math teachers Julie Nicholson, Curriculum	September 2012 – April 2013	Assessment scores Master schedule	Keep a journal of our discussion meetings
Provide intervention to the students	Third grade teachers Intervention specialists Title I tutors Paras	September 2012 – May 2013		Walk-throughs by the principal during intervention Anecdotal notes
After each assessment re-evaluate our tactics for working with the students and discussing what is working, what is not	Third grade team Julie Nicholson, Curriculum Sarika Pride, principal	Every 6 weeks after each assessment	Assessments Assessment results	Compile the data in a graph to assess teacher effectiveness and accountability Anecdotal notes
Repeat the common assessments throughout the year	Third grade team Julie Nicholson, curriculum	Every 6 weeks	Common Assessments	Keeping MAP RIT and PES Target Scores in mind Common Assessment Scores
Get teacher feedback from how they felt the year went and how they view the success of core skill identification and student mastery of the core skills	Third grade team Julie Nicholson, curriculum	End of May – First of June 2013	Third grade Teachers Title I tutors Paras	Teacher Interviews Teacher Reflections or Surveys
Cupcake Celebration	Third grade team Julie Nicholson, Curriculum Sarika Pride, Principal Maureen Yervasi, Asst. Principal Tutors/Paras	May 2013 After the last MAP scores are reported and compared to the PES scores	cupcakes	Smiles, happy teachers, and happy third grade students! J