Thursday, August 9, 2012

It looks like i need help with how i ask people to help me, i have been told i come off as telling them they are helping, instead of asking. I'm glad people care enough to point these things out to me.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Here is the latest update on my action research plan, just some small modifications.




 SCHOOL VISION: How can vertically aligned terminology increase students recall from previous years?
 GOAL:  To have a vertical aligned terminology chart for the core subjects K-5.


Outcomes
Activities
Resources/ Research tools needed
Responsibility to address activities
Time Frame
Benchmarks/ Assessment
Revisions based on monitoring and assessment
Discuss importance of vertical alignment.
Faculty Meeting

Vertically aligned Teks Documents
Administrators, faculty and staff
September 2012
Create a survey on how the teachers feel about vertical alignment.

Will create a vertical alignment team that will assist with development of programs to incorporate into the school year.
Team will meet and discuss Teks and words that are associated with each grade level.
Epstein’s Framework of Six Types of Involvement. Will go through and pull out things that teachers can do to help implement this in their classroom.
Vertical alignment team members.
 September 2012
Share with the team members about concerns of teachers in this area.

eNews letter going out to parents talking about what is vertical alignment and how having an aligned terminology will help students.
Will gather notes from meetings and compile an understandable definition to what we are doing.
Meetings and some of Epstein’s framework that deals with parent involvement.
Committee chair person
September 2012
My contact information will be available for any questions or concerns.
When surveys come back revaluate if parents need to be in the loop with a new school system.
Parents are informed on use of terminology through the grade level courses.
Parent Orientation
How to prepare a checklist for meeting with parents and guardians – Steve Berta (article provided by Lamar University)

Teachers, parents,
September 2012
Parent survey sent home to determine understanding of curriculum and information regarding parent orientation
Make revisions as necessary according to parent needs.
Vertical team will meet with coaches to discuss math and literacy night and how to incorporate understanding of consistent terminology.
Along with the home school connections.
Planning Committee Meeting
Meeting notes and TEKS documents
Grade level representatives
October 2012

Discuss parent survey from parent orientation to plan accordingly for math and literacy night
Parents are informed of math /literacy curriculum and activities in which parents can work with students at home
Math and Literacy Night
Meeting notes and TEKS documents
Teachers, administration, parents, students
January 2013
 Parent survey sent home to determine if night was beneficial and needs for improvement
Make revisions as necessary according to parent and community needs
Vertical alignment team will start creating a template that will be used for the core subjects: math, science, ELA.
Planning Committee Meeting
Meeting notes and TEKS documents
Vertical alignment team and coaches.
January 2013
Principal and Vice principal will approve or make recommendations
Rework information and grid if need be.
After chart has been approved, start making copies and give to all teachers so they can add the terminology into their lesson plans.
Faculty Meeting

Meeting notes and TEKS documents,
Rework information and grid if need be.
Vertical alignment team and coaches.
January 2013
Will ask the principal and assistant to look for use of terminology throughout their walk through.
Have teachers use this until April and then come back to meet with grade representatives to evaluate it.
Grade level reps will give advice to what worked and what seemed natural to them.
April assessment

Teachers and grade level chair volunteers
May 2013

Discuss outcomes and growth and determine adjustments for upcoming year



Start a year with students who have been introduced to the terminology from prior year.
Faculty Meeting

Have students use prior knowledge to explain certain concepts with word association.

Vertical alignment team and coaches.
September 2013
Track use of terminology with the coach’s help.
Discuss outcomes and growth and determine adjustments for upcoming year



I like the idea of getting feed back from people, but it seems the lack of visitors on my site is kinda annoying me and not helping the cause. I wonder if there is a better way to get people to come to my site and offer good suggestions. I might email out my blog site to my school staff so they can go and look over things,