Teacher Action Research Project Proposal

Donna Robertson
Research Purpose
Throughout my many years of teaching, I have always been
able to make this declaration to my students: I love
teaching math! It has remained a true statement over the
many years and many grade levels. Many of my students
have responded in kind, with equal enthusiasm for math.
But over the years, a nagging feeling of leaving too many
students out of the love fest has continued to grow. When I
was a sixth grade teacher, it would break my heart to see
how far behind some students would be. Some would barely
be able to do basic arithmetic with ease, and yet the
curriculum required so much more of them. Numbers had so
little meaning for them. And they were already thinking that
they could not be successful in math.
Moving to younger grades meant seeing more children who
had very little number sense established. But the younger
students also seem more receptive to math instruction and
practice, perhaps because they dont see themselves as
behind their peers.
My desire is to explore how to guide the primary student to
math success as measured by their own feelings of
competency as well as testing required by our educational
systems. The MIAA coursework seems ideally suited for this.
The opportunity to critically analyze my instruction,
implement new strategies and measure their success, and
work together in a learning community with other MIAA
students is a much needed and valuable resource for me.
Research Question

What effect will my completion of the Mathematics

Instructional Added Authorization coursework have on my
students success in grade appropriate math activites?
Sub-questions
MIAA 320
In what ways will I be able to use the
discourse research to advance positive attitudes in math
abilities in my students?
MIAA330
In what ways will I be able to use
assessments to inform and guide students with their own
understanding of their math skills?
MIAA 340
How can I use the strategies learned in this
course to promote mathematical success in all of my
students?
MIAA 350
In what ways will my mathematic instruction
change and benefit my students?
MIAA 360/370 What effect will my collaboration with my
MIAA peers lead to improved student learning in my own
classroom?
Data
MIAA 310
The processes involved through the Teacher Action Research
Project should guide me along the way of improved student
achievement. The many components of this program,
including collaboration, research, and intensive scrutiny of
practices throughout three grade spans wlll lead to my own
increased mathematical successes as well as successes for
my students.
MIAA 320

This course will prepare me to encourage mathematical

discourse among my students and help me to engage all
learners.
MIAA 330
Through this coursework, I will be able to better use and
understand the information found through assessments of
my students.
MIAA 340
This course will help me to create equity among all the math
learners in my class through its focus on how to target
instruction based on information from assessments.
MIAA 350
This course will provide the scaffolding of content needed to
insure student success and provide instructional strategies
needed to implement the content.
MIAA 360/370
Using the knowledge gained through the other classes, I will
be able to plan and co-teach units of mathematical
instruction to better increase student learning.
Reflection
Through this intensive, reflective, analytical, and
collaborative process, I will be able to research best
practices for student learning and implement them fully.