Second Draft

Thanks for all of the feedback.  I used your comments to revise my plan.  Here it is...

Action Research Plan for Motivating Students

Examining the work: Setting the Foundation

Through observations and conversations with teachers, I have found that there is a need for motivating students who repeatedly have failing grades on progress reports and report cards.  This issue will be examined by conducting an action research project.  The goal of this action research project is to be able to motivate ninth grade students who repeatedly have failing grades on their progress reports and report cards to pass their classes.

Objectives/Outcomes of Action Research:

1.    Reduce the number of students who frequently receive failing grades on progress reports and report cards. 

2.    Provide teachers with strategies and techniques to motivate unsuccessful students

3.    Motivate unsuccessful students to become successful learners.

Analyzing data

Three week failure reports and report cards will be analyzed to identify ninth grade students who have had two or more failing grades on either progress reports or report cards in a nine week grading period.  Teachers will be surveyed to identify current motivational strategies used to help these students.  A survey of these students’ motivational needs will provide information that will aid in providing teachers with new strategies. 

Resources/Research Tools Needed for Gathering Data:

·      Survey of current motivational techniques

·      Three week failure reports for three nine-week grading periods

·      List of motivational strategies found from research

·      Teacher feedback about implementing motivational strategies

·      Survey of student motivators

Developing deeper understanding

Information gathered through the teacher and student surveys will be analyzed and used to research motivational strategies that will help the targeted students. Literature will be researched to find ideas, possible motivational programs and strategies that can be implemented in the classroom to motivate students.   After identifying strategies that teachers can use to motivate the targeted students, teachers will be asked for feedback about how well they think these strategies can be implemented and their effectiveness. 

Engaging in Self-Reflection

During the planning of this project, I wonder if the information I plan to gather will be enough.  Will I be able to find strategies that will be appropriate for my school and its needs?  I believe I will have to find strategies that are free because of recent budget cuts.  I also think that I will have to motivate the teachers to get them to motivate the students. 

Exploring Programmatic Patterns

After the target population is identified, I will look to see if there are patterns or recurring subjects and classes.  Are students failing the same subject over and over again?  Are several students failing the same classes?  The data will be analyzed with regard to the reason why students are failing.  Are they failing because of absences?  Is the student’s academic achievement affected by their home life?  Are they behind because of lost credit?  I will talk to my site supervisor about implementing strategies to address the issues found.

Determining Direction

            In order to accomplish the goal and objectives, three week progress reports and report card grades will be analyzed to identify ninth grade students who have two or more failing grades in a nine week grading period.  These students will be the target population. These student’s teachers will be surveyed to find what motivation strategies they currently use with these students.  The students will be surveyed to find what they think will motivate them to pass their classes.  After analyzing the survey results, literature will be researched to find motivational strategies that meet both the students and teachers’ needs.  These strategies will be shared with the teachers and implemented.  The strategies will be monitored for effectiveness by continuing to collect data from progress reports and report cards and interviewing teachers and students.  Changes and modifications will be made based on this data.

Timeline:

October 2010 thru June 2011

·      Collect and analyze failure reports for changes and concerns

October 2010

·      Present plan to principal, get feedback and options

·      Compile list of ninth grade students with two or more failing grades on a report card or progress report in a 9 week grading

November thru December 2010

·      Survey Teachers

·      Survey students

·      Gather information about motivational strategies to possibly implement

January 2011

·      Present data and findings to principal and discuss options

February 2011

·      Present information to faculty and get feedback

·      Implement strategies

February thru June 2011

·      Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of implemented strategies

Persons Responsible for Implementation:

Ashley Chandler

9^th grade core subject teachers

Process for Monitoring Achievement

·      Monitor three week failure reports

·      Survey student motivation level every

·      Interview teachers about effectiveness of strategies

Assessment Instruments to Evaluate Effectiveness

·      Teacher Interviews

·      Student Survey

·      Failure reports

·      Reflections

Taking action for school improvement

I will evaluate the effectiveness of the motivation strategies and their implementation.  Successful strategies will be shared with all teachers to help students in all grade levels. 

Sustaining improvement

I will continue to monitor the students who participate in this project to ensure that they are successful.  If they are not, action research may be used to find out how to help them remain successful.

Week 3 Reflections

As I was writing my action research plan, I started wondering if I should change the wording of my topic.  I'm not sure motivation strategies will be enough to address the needs of the students.  I may need to focus more on intervention strategies.  I went ahead and wrote my research plan focusing on motivation.  When I talk to my site supervisor I'm going to ask him what he thinks.  Should I keep the focus on motivation, or find interventions that will help the students pass their classes?  If anyone has any feedback, please let me know.  I could really use some input.

The First Draft...

Action Research Plan for Motivating Students

Examining the work: Setting the Foundation

Through observations and conversations with teachers, I have found that there is a need for motivating students who repeatedly have failing grades on progress reports and report cards.  This issue will be examined by conducting an action research project.  The goal of this action research project is to be able to motivate ninth grade students who repeatedly have failing grades on their progress reports and report cards to pass their classes.

Objectives/Outcomes of Action Research:

1.    Reduce the number of students who frequently receive failing grades on progress reports and report cards. 

2.    Provide teachers with strategies and techniques to motivate unsuccessful students

3.    Motivate unsuccessful students to become successful learners.

Analyzing data

Three week failure reports and report cards will be analyzed to identify ninth grade students who have had two or more failing grades on either progress reports or report cards in a nine week grading period.  Teachers will be surveyed to identify current motivational strategies used to help these students.  A survey of these students’ motivational needs will provide information that will aid in providing teachers with new strategies. 

Resources/Research Tools Needed for Gathering Data:

·      Survey of current motivational techniques

·      Three week failure reports for three nine-week grading periods

·      List of motivational strategies found from research

·      Teacher feedback about implementing motivational strategies

·      Survey of student motivators

Developing deeper understanding

Information gathered through the teacher and student surveys will be analyzed and used to research motivational strategies that will help the targeted students.  After identifying strategies that teachers can use to motivate the targeted students, teachers will be asked for feedback about how well they think these strategies can be implemented and their effectiveness. 

Engaging in Self-Reflection

During the planning of this project, I wonder if the information I plan to gather will be enough.  Will I be able to find strategies that will be appropriate for my school and its needs?  I believe I will have to find strategies that are free because of recent budget cuts.  I also think that I will have to motivate the teachers to get them to motivate the students. 

Exploring Programmatic Patterns

After the target population is identified, I will look to see if there are patterns or recurring subjects and classes.  I will talk to my site supervisor about implementing strategies to address the issues found.

Determining Direction

            In order to accomplish the goal and objectives, three week progress reports and report card grades will be analyzed to identify ninth grade students who have two or more failing grades in a nine week grading period.  These students will be the target population. These student’s teachers will be surveyed to find what motivation strategies they currently use with these students.  The students will be surveyed to find what they think will motivate them to pass their classes.  After analyzing the survey results, literature will be researched to find motivational strategies that meet both the students and teachers’ needs.  These strategies will be shared with the teachers and implemented.  The strategies will be monitored for effectiveness by continuing to collect data from progress reports and report cards and interviewing teachers and students.  Changes and modifications will be made based on this data.

Timeline:

October 2010 thru June 2011

·      Collect and analyze failure reports for changes and concerns

October 2010

·      Present plan to principal, get feedback and options

·      Compile list of ninth grade students with two or more failing grades on a report card or progress report in a 9 week grading

November thru December 2010

·      Survey Teachers

·      Survey students

·      Gather information about motivational strategies to possibly implement

January 2011

·      Present data and findings to principal and discuss options

February 2011

·      Present information to faculty and get feedback

·      Implement strategies

February thru June 2011

·      Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of implemented strategies

Persons Responsible for Implementation:

Ashley Chandler

9^th grade core subject teachers

Process for Monitoring Achievement

·      Monitor three week failure reports

·      Survey student motivation level every

·      Interview teachers about effectiveness of strategies

Assessment Instruments to Evaluate Effectiveness

·      Teacher Interviews

·      Student Survey

·      Failure reports

·      Reflections

Taking action for school improvement

I will evaluate the effectiveness of the motivation strategies and their implementation.  Successful strategies will be shared with all teachers to help students in all grade levels. 

Sustaining improvement

I will continue to monitor the students who participate in this project to ensure that they are successful.  If they are not, action research may be used to find out how to help them remain successful.

My Thoughts for Week 2

I have learned that action research can be used for all sorts if issues and questions.  As I was reading this week, my mind started racing and searching for all of the issues at my school that could be addressed.  How can we use action research to address teacher motivation?  Can we use it to figure out a way to improve our inclusion program?  Can I fix the attendance issue by using action research?  This list goes on and on.  I was finally able to narrow the possibilities and chose to research student motivation for my project.  I think that I may have bitten off more than I can chew, but I think that my purpose is needed and worth the effort.  We will soon find out…

Purpose and Significance

Purpose

The purpose of my action research project is to find out how to motivate students who have repeatedly failed progress reports and report cards. How do we currently motivate these students?  Is it working?  How can we motivate them to succeed? Is intrinsic or extrinsic motivation more effective?  Does parent involvement make a difference?  Are there any interventions before and after students fail progress reports?

Significance

My action research project will benefit all stakeholders at my school.  We currently have issues with students repeatedly failing progress reports and report cards. The findings of this inquiry will provide administrators with knowledge about what we are and can do to help the students.  Teachers will learn strategies and ideas to implement to motivate these students to succeed.  Students will benefit by becoming motivated to pass their classes.

Educators and Blogs

  Blogs can be a great tool for educational leaders. Blogging allows educators to keep track of their thoughts and create an online journal.  Being able to receive comments and feedback about those thoughts is quite useful.  It is often difficult for leaders to find time to collaborate with peers; however, blogging makes collaborating much easier.

What is Action Research?

            Action research is a process in which administrators take time to reflect on their own practices, pose questions, gather information and collect data, make changes and share their findings with others.  This method differs from traditional research processes in which an expert conducts research and the principal implements the expert’s suggestions and findings.  Action research engages the principal and puts him or her in charge of researching and making decisions about his or her campus. 

            There are several benefits to action research.  One of the benefits is the ability to engage in collaboration with teachers and other principals.  When principals conduct action research, they become role models for their students and teachers by demonstrating the importance of learning.  Action research can also help schools learn to use best practices. Principals must also slow down and reflect on their practices when they use action research.  This can help them become proactive instead of reactive. 

            I will be able to use action research to find answers to some of the questions I have about my school and what would work best for it.  As a special education teacher, action research would be a useful tool for learning about inclusion models and effects of mainstreaming students.  I also think that it would be useful in finding motivational strategies for students and faculty.  TAKS scores and strategies to improve the scores can also be researched.  I am excited about engaging in action research because the possibilities of its usefulness seem boundless.