EDLD 5352

•      Week 5.2 Assignment— Reflections and Status Report of your technology skills and knowledge gained in this course, your progress with your Campus-Supervised Internship Activities, and your progress with your Action Research Project.

REFLECTION:

One important skill learned during this course was collaboration in real time with others. I had never used the Google Shared Documents before, and found it quite simple to use. Several times I noticed that while I was adding to my part of the document, someone else was also working on their part. Updates to our work were shared immediately! Also, I was able to share with my peers what Web 2.0 Tools I use in the classroom and was also able to see other useful tools that they use. The LiveBinders might come in handy this year, as we have Nooks in my classroom and I found a LiveBinder for Nooks while learning about this Web 2.0 tool. Last, but not least, the Project Based Learning was an important reminder that students need more than worksheets. Students need “real world” experiences, and PBL is a great way to get kids interacting together with hands-on activities.

PROGRESS:

During my free time this summer, I have completed almost everything needed for my last class at Lamar. My Action Research Project was completed with the school year, and I had been gathering information throughout the year. The hardest part was sitting down, and getting it all on paper. I did one section at a time until it was finished. I don’t have the Reference page completed, because I can’t quite figure out how to do websites correctly. Other than a few minor tweaks, the paper is complete. The charts for the Campus Supervised Activities and the Course Embedded Activities are also almost complete. I tried to fill those in as I finished each class, but had to go back this summer and fill in a few and complete some summaries. When I start my last class these will be pretty much complete, and I will go over them to find any mistakes or missing areas. 

Action Research Project update summary September 29, 2012

When plans were made with my principal this summer for the Action Research project we had several ideas to throw around. We finally decided that working on our campus RTI process would be most beneficial. I asked about beginning the year with a survey to see what improvements teachers would like to see, and I had a few ideas of my own. Then, a few weeks before our first teacher work day we had an Instructional Coordinator placed on our campus. One of her main duties was to be chairperson for the RTI process (our counselor had done these meetings previously). She agreed to let me send the survey out to staff and see what responses we got. There was not a huge percentage of returns, but one thing we did notice was the lack of knowledge on how to enter data from the RTI meetings. Our new IC began looking over file folders of papers kept from the RTI meetings and realized we were at least two years behind! She showed me how to enter the data starting back at 2010, and we have been working on all needed forms for each child. It would have been much easier if it was done during, or after, each meeting. We have been sifting through all kinds of paperwork, and some forms ask for uploaded and attached documentation. Those have to be scanned onto a computer, then uploaded. These were not my exact plans for working on the RTI process, but apparently it’s what our campus needs right now!

Web Conference for September 5th, 2012

My reflection on the web conference with Dr. Joe Burns is positive, as all the web conferences have been. They are great at clarifying what paper work is needed, web addresses, assignments, and plans.
I was not connected through a web cam or headset, so as Dr. Burns went through the students that were connected I started taking notes. By the time he finished, I was reassured that some of my worries are also concerns of other students. We cleared up what papers are needed for the TK20 updates, and were told sometimes the titles of the pages change. I had been wondering before that why I had several different papers with similar names. He told us to be sure and keep logs updated, so when we are asked for them we're prepared! I was a little concerned about getting behind, or not getting things done in time (such as our Internship Activity Plan). Having a full class to teach (or three since I am departmentalized) is a lot of work on top of all the activities that need to be completed, documented, and reflected on. He reminded us not to get stressed and keep working at it! I thought it was interesting he said that most of those activities will be outside our "comfort zone" because I remember thinking that these are not things most teachers would do. My principal is kind enough to give me tasks that allow me to work on my Internship. This web conference was reassuring, and a great reminder to keep going hard!

New Improved Action Research Template!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DqVc7he_e_IY1p5Ls57G4QHzhPo2EMgh7973kspCUTE/edit

RTI Action Research Project 2012-2013

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DqVc7he_e_IY1p5Ls57G4QHzhPo2EMgh7973kspCUTE/edit

Improving the RTI process on our campus

It's comfirmed and final! I will begin working on improving the RTI process as soon as school starts this year. We will start off with a survey from the teachers to show satisfaction with our RTI process, and what improvements they would like to see this year. My principal just found out this week that we will have an Instructional Coordinator this year (similar to a Vice Principal in other districts). She will be the coordinator for all RTI meetings, and I have been given permission to meet with her and fill her in on my RTI ideas! I think it's great that I will have a helping hand as I work on the action research project!

Reflection on Week 2, Deciding on the Action Research Project

This week was spent learning about real life Action Research projects, checking out other people's ideas for their campus project, and narrowing down our choice. I really went back and forth on two different ideas: District wide Academic Vocabulary (all campuses have set words for each grade to work on), and improving the RTI process on our campus. I almost felt like working on the Academic Vocabulary wasn't a fair research project because the district is requiring us to do it, and therefore wasn't a choice I came up with on my own. I have been involved in the process since February of 2012 because I was asked to join the committe that created the word lists. While I am interested in this (and the results), it's not really a project that I am fully invested in.

After speaking with my principal, he confirmed that the RTI process would be most beneficial to our campus. I'm not sure how our campus strayed so far from the district's requirements for the RTI process, but teachers are frustrated that we have not had needed paperwork, documentation, and parent involvement. The RTI coordinator has a lot on her plate, but we (teachers) are the people dealing and working with the students who need help daily. If we are not prepared correctly then how are we to help these students that really need it? I feel like improving our RTI process will be most interesting to me, because I AM one of the frustrated teachers! I am vested in this project because I want it done correctly!