Copyright 2006
Your Name, Reich
College of Education, Appalachian |
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Artifact # 2 |
Components of Writing Action
Research Plan
Context: While
taking FDN 5560 Classroom Assessment, I completed an action research
project with a focus on the most recent state writing assessment and the
shift of grading rubrics from holistic to the current analytic scoring
model. I wanted to research and apply the
changes in In conjunction with the development
of my action research paper, as a part of the requirements of FDN 5560 Classroom
Assessment, I created a professional development workshop on the process
of creating a school-wide writing plan.
The steps that we used as a team were: -Grade level teachers should
meet to look at curriculum (NCSCOS) and alignment documents which are board
approved policies, to be implemented in the classrooms which are aligned with
the NCSCOS, teachers were then asked to use the materials to complete the
created template. -Teachers will then use the
curriculum information found in the curriculum and alignment documents and
recorded on the template to develop grade level expectations. -After grade level
expectations are developed then teachers should meet with the grade level
above and the grade level below to discuss expectations and to make
adjustments as needed. -With the information gathered
thus far then grade levels should meet to develop a yearlong plan for
writing, using the expectations as a guide. -Finally, grade level spans
meet K-2, 3-5, 6-8 to ensure that there is flow and consistency to the Cove
Creek Writing Plan. As part of my action research and professional development
workshop, I researched writing practices that help support writers in efforts
to raise help students receive a consistent writing education where they can
be successful with the use of a analytic scoring rubric. Some of those researched practices included
using different modes of writing, using rubrics, integrating writing into
other subject areas, using graphic organizers in the planning process, using
literature as exemplar models, and teaching grammar as a part of writing
instruction. Impact: This action research project and
professional development workshop was a project that I applied directly what
I researched and learned about writing, to the development of a school-wide writing
plan. I researched information related
to writing as a performance assessment, and best practices in helping to
develop a consistent school-wide writing plan in effort to help teachers gain
more strategies so they will have more tools to aid students in their efforts
to become successful life-long writers and to pass the state writing
assessments. Standard A: Instructional
Expertise
The purpose of planning
and implementing an action research plan about writing was to use data and
research to address student writing problems.
As a part of the action research process, I researched why writing
scores had dropped across the state but also strategies to teach writing in
effort to design and modify learning environments to better support students
as writers. The strategies that I
researched were some of the best practices emerging from theoretical and
philosophical educational literature.
As a part of the writing team at Standard B: Knowledge of
Learners
Based on my action research plan, and subsequent participation in developing a school-wide writing plan, I wanted to help teachers respect the differences among learners and support student writers accordingly. I believe by breaking information and writing strategies down in chucks for K-2, 3-5, and 6-8, helped other teachers visualize the steps children go through early on to develop writing skills and knowledge of what types of skills students should come to them knowing. Standard C: ResearchMy action research project was based on school and state performance data regarding the scores from the state writing performance assessment. I chose to investigate why there was drop in writing test scores at the school, county, and state level, in effort to better support students as writers help them become life-long writers and ultimately improve test scores. In effort to attain that goal, I critically read and consulted current philosophical and theoretical educational research. This research helped me understand possible reasons for a drop in writing scores, at the fourth grade level, across the state and helped in sharing writing teaching strategies with other classroom teachers. Standard D: Content
Knowledge
These artifacts developed in conjunction with my action research plan, demonstrate my advanced and in depth content knowledge and my understanding of current trends in education. While creating the writing action research plan, I articulated relationships between and among theory and research to help myself and other teachers improve their teaching of writing and across other disciplines. Standard E: Professional
Development
I used my action research plan to initiate professional inquiry within a small group at first. Three teachers served as teacher leaders on the writing committee, we used my research to help us facilitate the development of a school-wide writing plan and professional inquiry about writing. I provided all teachers with a survey to understand what strategies teachers were currently using in their classrooms to teach students writing. I wanted to expand on what they were currently doing without too much repetition, as well as introduce new strategies. As a member of the school-wide writing committee I formally and informally participated in writing discussions. My involvement was typically more formal when addressing the entire faculty with the use of a PowerPoint, and informal when addressing the small group of 3-5 representatives. In addition, these artifacts demonstrate my participation in collaborative leadership to address low writing scores. |