REFLECTION ZONE: Mini Action Research Results

I subtracted each student's Test 3 score from Test 2 score to find their difference between a test where they worked in groups daily to one where they worked individually.  I found the average to be a growth of 9.29 points after working in daily cooperative groups.  I went back to last year's Pre-Algebra class and found the difference for each student from Test 2 to Test 3.  I found the 2009 class to have a growth of 9.7 points.  At first glance I was disappointed that the class where I did not use cooperative learning groups had a higher average of growth.

I then grouped the results to find a visual representation of the distribution.  I noticed a few things.   There was a greater positive growth in 2010.  There were more solid bars than striped in every positive category except for one, which was equal, so this shows more improvement. I noticed that the 2009 was a normal distribution for the positive side.  The 2010 data resembled normal distribution with exception to the chart being top heavy.  That could possibly signify there was positive growth because of the cooperative group work. It is very difficult to prove my hypothesis as true or false because of the small sample size.  Overall, my data proved to be inclusive.  It did not prove if using cooperative groups significantly improved understanding and therefore increased test scores.   My mini action research did not prove to be true, but it didn’t prove not true either.   

My research sparked some questions.  Why is the 2010 set of data top heavy, showing more positive growth than negative growth?  Is this because this chapter is overall easier?  Is this evidence the cooperative group work improved understanding and test scores?  Are students making more positive growth due to the effective teaching behavior? Is this because the sample size is too small to be accurate?  I think grouping the data in intervals and looking at the visual distribution was more helpful than just comparing the averages of growth between the two classes.  I would like to try this study again.

When I asked for student feedback as to if we should continue working in cooperative groups and what each student liked and disliked I got the following responses.
     21 wanted to continue group work
      5 did not want to continue group work
      1 unclear response


What did you like?
We got the chance to listen to how other people figured out the problem. We got the chance to make our methods better.
Even if you got it wrong on your own, you got a chance to learn how to get it right.
It made assignments seem easier.
My group explained it better.
You could earn extra credit.
We could ask group members for help if we needed it.
It's a chance to talk about what you didn't understand in the assignment.
It is more fun than working by yourself.
It's fun to talk to people. We got to know each other a little more.
What didn't you like?
It took too much of our work time.
We can let people down if we don't do our work.
I knew what I was doing without listening to others.
It was a waste of time because I do good without the extra credit and without group help.
My group member complained that he had to be with me.
We get less work time.
I helped my group members more than they helped me. 

RtI Meeting

RtI Meeting

Last Thursday I joined our problem solving team in learning more about RtI and what will need to happen and be in place before the year 2013.  We met after school from 3:30 - 7:00.  I actually preferred this time to missing an entire day in the classroom and preparing sub plans.  I left there with more questions than I had before I went.

It was stated that 80% of our students need to get what we are teaching in order for a student to be identified as struggling and in need of an intervention.  My question is what does "get it" mean?  Earning an A,B,C?  Passing?  I remember in college that our goal was to have 80% of our students score 80% or higher, so is this it?  Does it mean earning a proficient or advanced score on the WKCE?  Does it mean meeting their growth target for the MAPS test?  No one there could answer the question as this has not been determined by the people creating the RtI standards. 

Also, I teach a team taught math class.  The class consists of special ed students and a few others who are intended to be good role models for the special ed students.  The class is slower paced.  While I try to teach the same concepts to this class as my other 6th grade math classes, the number of problems is greatly reduced.  The level of thinking needed to solve the problems is lessened as well.  In general, the expectation is greatly lowered.  There are still students struggling in this class.  Accomplishing work outside of class and late work are issues as well as just bringing needed materials to class consistently.  There are also many outbursts by the special ed students which require time and attention. After attending this meeting I think I am not suppose to lower expectations for any class according to RtI.  This made me really think about the kids.  I may be robbing them of valuable learning.  I need to expose them to deeper level thinking questions such as application and synthesis, instead of just knowledge based questions.  Lowering the benchmark automatically makes the data skewed.  Students won't get the services they need if I do this.  If I decide to raise the bar closer to the other classes, I am afraid many of the students will shut down completely.  In theory the special ed students should be receiving extra help during their structured study hall, but that requires more work for the special ed teacher and aides.  They also would rather work on social skills than help the kids with math.  There are kids in this team taught class who deserve more of a challenge or a push.  Am I hindering their learning if I don't try to lessen the gap?  I think I need to reflect and meet with other teachers who team teach before I make any changes.  Again, more questions than answers.  I guess I can be glad we don't have to have this completely figured out until 2013.  :)

REFLECTION ZONE: Mini Action Research

For my mini action research question, I'm asking the question: Does daily cooperative group work positively affect understanding, and therefore increase test scores? 

Students will sit in assigned groups of 4.  Besides having a home base group, each student will have a letter assigned to their desk. (A-F) Each day we will have two "bouncers" working the door and checking that homework is complete.  If homework is done, students will join their letter group.  If homework is not complete, the student will sit in the back of the room and work on finishing.  As the students enter, the extra credit problem for each group is posted on the promethean board.  This is one problem from their assignment, so everyone has already tried it and has a starting point to share. Students each share the answer, and how they got it for the selected problem. Discussion takes place as to how each student got his/her answer.  As a group, they decide what the correct answer is, and they each redo the problem, showing their work, on a small note card.
What's in this for them?
If everyone in their letter group has their assignment completed, each group member earns 1 EC point.
If the group answers their question correctly after meeting/discussing, each group member earns 1 EC point  If all groups (A-F) answer their question correctly, each group member earns 1 EC point.
(Students can earn up to 3 Extra Credit points per assignment. 
Bouncers get to choose a song (school appropriate) that is being played as students enter the room. 

I will begin Tuesday, Nov. 16 - Wednesday, Dec. 1. Data collection will take place each day during 5th hour - 11:34 - 12:20.  My data collection method will include teacher observations, student feedback, and comparing test scores from before this date to those taken during this research.

Students will take their Chapter 3 Test on Tuesday.  I will compare these results to their previous test scores, where they sat in rows and were not provided the time to share and discuss answers on a daily basis.

REFLECTION ZONE: Words

Quotes/Words I'd Like to Remember

Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.

Who you are speaks so loudly, I don't hear your words anymore. 

     Ralph Waldo Emerson

A life of frustration is inevitable for any coach whose main enjoyment is winning.  

     Chuck Noll 

He always enjoyed seeing the happiness that the travelers experienced when, after weeks of yellow sand and blue sky, they first saw the green of the date palms.  Maybe God created the desert so that man could appreciate the date trees, he thought.
From The Alchemist

Little by little big things can happen.

Quotes from The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon

When you love someone you want the best for them.  You want them to shine.  And the best way to do this is to help them discover the value in side them.  

The goal is not to be better than anyone else but rather be better than you were yesterday.

Remember the gifts you bring the the world are not found in your resume, accomplishments, or presents to others.  The gift is your presence of feeling good and being happy and bringing this to others. 


The best legacy you could leave is not some building that is named after you or a piece of jewelry but rather a world that has been impacted and touched by your presence, your joy, and your positive actions.

To young adolescents, hope is oxygen.
     Rick Wormeli

The process of addressing personal bias isn't about reaching a destination.  "No one ever arrives; they just bring more of themselves through each time. "  "As we open our heads and hearts to new understandings through the invitation of persistent experience and inquiry, we embrace the journey."
     Cahill and Adams

They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care.
     Tom Kidd

REFLECTION ZONE: The Alchemist

Can you define your Personal Legend?

I don't think that I can define my personal legend the way that I can define a vocab word.  I think if someone follows his/her dreams they are creating their personal legend.  I don't think that personal legend should be singular, because people might have multiple personal legends.  My personal legends consist of the journey I'm on.  Just like Santiago learned that the real treasure was the journey, the people he met, the knowledge he gained along the way, and his experiences, I agree the treasure if found in the journey and what happens along the way of reaching your dreams.  I wouldn't say my entire personal legend is my path to becoming a teacher, but I'd like to think it is one of my personal legends.

At what time in your life were you first able to act on it?

I think some of our personal legends began when we were young children.  I think I first acted on my path to become a teacher at a very young age.  I loved to play school.  I would come home from elementary school and teach my younger sister everything I learned that day.  If she was busy or didn't want to play I would line up my dolls and stuffed animals and teach them.  My dad would even join in sometimes and play the role of a student named "Marty."  I had fun, and I think this played a part in my journey to become a teacher.

What was your "beginners luck?"

My beginners luck would be the positive experiences I had working for the Eau Claire Parks and Recreation Department as a summertime playground leader.  My park was a place for neighborhood kids to come play games and sports, make crafts, and have fun. It was a magical experience where I learned so much about kids and what was important to them.  They let me into their worlds and I learned how to work with a variety of kids. I worked with kids with special needs, kids of different races, and kids of from varying socio-economic status. They taught me more than I taught them.  While the paycheck was nothing to brag about there were times I couldn't believe that I was actually getting paid to do what I was doing! The relationships I made and the memories I created will last a lifetime. This experience had a great impact on my life and could easily be identified as my beginners luck.
I would also say I had some beginners luck when it came to landing my first teaching job.  I'm thankful to my first principal who took a chance on me and hired me.  When I got my job, my Grandma Thompson wrote me a letter saying that she hoped I would be working with good people, and I lucked out because I truly am.

Did anything prevent you from following your vision to conclusion?

While I was lucky that nothing prevented me from following my dream to become a teacher, there were setbacks or obstacles to overcome along the way.   I will not lie and say the road was easy, but with the love and support of my family and friends I achieved this dream in my life. 

Do you know what inner resources you need to continue the journey?

The longer I am a teacher the more I realize that I need to have a strong faith to do this job well.  I need the support of my parents, my sister Molly, my brother Ben, my husband Brian to continue on this journey.  I liked how it was mentioned in the book that people are brought into your life to help you achieve your goals.  I also liked that it was stated that love doesn't stand in the way of personal dreams, love helps us progress and gives us strength to fulfill our dreams.  I am so fortunate to have people who matter so much to me, who are there for me whenever I need them. Without them, I could not be who I am today. It is also nice to have respected coworkers who support me.  I am thankful I have friends to help me take a break and take my mind off my profession when I need to.  My dog, Titus, also helps reduce my stress level.  No matter how stressed out and overwhelmed I feel, he makes me smile and feel good.

"Along the way we learn to trust ourselves, read the signs, and understand that as we look to fulfill a dream, it looks to find us just the same, if we let it."

The boy found the treasure back where he started- the real treasure was the journey. When he questioned why he wasn't told this earlier, he was told, "You wouldn't have gotten to see the Pyramids. Weren't they beautiful?"  This really touched me.

This book made me think of the lyrics from two songs - "The Dance" by Garth Brooks and "The Beauty of the Rain" by Dar Williams.   They both became a little more clearer to me.

REFLECTION ZONE:Six Hats

The Black and Yellow Hats

There was a recent situation where I feel I wore the black and yellow hats.  I wore these hats as I processed the situation with family members.  I did not have an opportunity to wear these hats with the direct people involved. Here is the situation.

A co-teacher planned to take her 13 advisory students on a trip to Madison, WI this spring.  She received support from our principal and presented her proposal to the school board which voted to approve her trip.   I had first heard of the trip the evening before she presented to the board.  The trip was not communicated with our team members as the teacher felt it didn't affect the group of six teachers.  

Yellow Hat- Positive and Optimistic

What an incredible experience for those 13 kids!  Some of these kids would not have the funds or the means to take a trip like this.  The teacher who planned the trip in an incredible travel planner and very knowledgeable when in comes to the Madison area.  She has a good heart and cares about these kids and wants what is best for them.  A great deal of time was spent planning the itinerary which includes multiple museums, Camp Randall, the university, and the capitol.   It will no doubt, be an incredible experience for those thirteen kids.

Black Hat- Potential dangers, Areas to be careful and to use caution

Isn't middle school philosophy including everyone and giving all the chance to try and experience new things?  As a middle school coach, we have sign ups for athletics and clubs and everyone gets to participate who chooses to.  Middle school students have specific needs at this time in their life, and one of them is to have things fair.  They can handle a situation when they perceive that it was done fairly.  They are the first to tell you if something is not fair.  My advisory would fall into this category as they would like to go to Madison and don't perceive the situation as fair. While I understand fair is not equal and life is not always fair, I don't think this is the appropriate way for us to teach this important life lesson.  

A great deal of time is spent planning advisory for each team.  We have two representatives who meet every Monday to plan our advisory.  Then, every Thursday all the sixth grade advisors meet to communicate the plans for the upcoming week.  This way every advisory gets to do the same cool things- same daily news, same greeting, and same activity.  Kids don't leave bragging that their advisory is better because they did something better than the next group.  

I also have some black hat thinking when it comes to the liabilities of taking kids on a road trip, staying overnight in a hotel, and exploring a major city.  Another area for black hat thinking is the work I will need to do to help these thirteen kids make up their math work either before or after their trip since it is during three school days.

In this situation my black hat wins.  I don't like to think I am a critical person, but I think there could have been ways that my yellow hat would have been victorious.  There could have been an open invitation to any sixth grader to make this trip.  Yes, it might mean more chaperons, but it would meet the criteria for meeting our middle school philosophy and the entire class would see it as fair.  The trip could have been taken during Christmas break or another time slot where school is not in session.  If these things could have happened I believe my yellow hat would have won out.  

If we discus this situation I feel more prepared to comment after I spent a great deal of time reflecting.  Using these hats makes me consider possibilities I might have missed.  The hats somewhat structure my thinking.  Another area I would like to use the six hats thinking would be on the topic of finishing our basement. My husband and I can wear these different hats as we make this big decision.  He is open minded and I think he would be up to try thinking from these different perspectives.  Once I have finished reading about the green and blue hats we might give it a try!

REFLECTION ZONE: The Power of Questions

After reading chapters 1-3 in The Power of Questions and keeping a journal of the happenings in my classroom I found things that excited, bothered, and interested me.  I chose one from each category to post on my blogspot.
Excited Me - I truly enjoy grading math tests and quizzes because I like to see students' thinking and I get excited to see their results and what each student learned.
Bothered Me- I was a bit bothered by the 8th grade quiz scores.  Looking closer, 20 out of my 35 students got the first question marked wrong.  "Write each fraction as a decimal." (-1/8)  9 students did the work correctly, but just forgot the negative sign in their answer.  11 students did the problem wrong. Some did not know how to set the problem up to solve.  Some had an idea how to set it up, but flipped which number was being divided. Some set it up perfectly, but struggled with the division. 
Interests Me - How do I get my students to construct their learning in math so they truly learn the math material?
I will show them this skill could be useful in their lives when they figure out their percentage and what letter grade they earned on any assignment in any class.  If you got 12 correct out of 15, how can you write 12/15 as a decimal and therefore determine what letter grade you earned?

Other Questions
How can I improve my teaching?
How can I improve my students' learning?
How can I create more constructivist lessons in math?
How can I motivate students to care more about their grades and futures?
How can I lessen the gap of understanding between my team taught class and my other math classes?