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Artifact Reflection Narrative Summary

Sarah J. Koonce

University of St. Mary

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Artifact Reflection Narrative Summary

Action Research in Effective Classroom Environment

This action research project followed the University of St. Mary conceptual framework of

Knowledge in Action to promote synthesis, integration, interpretation, and critical analysis of

new knowledge through rigorous, problem centered, scholarly study (University of St. Mary

2011). This project met the first proposition of the National Board of Professional Teaching

Standards (NBPTS) which states that teachers are committed to students and their learning, the

third proposition which states that teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student

learning, and the fourth proposition which states that teachers think systematically about their

practice and learn from experience (National Board of Professional Teaching Standard 2002). I

used student test score data to identify a problem in my class, then researched education journals

on different ways to solve the problem of reading fluency and comprehension. I then came up

with a way to bring 21st century technology of carefully chosen IPad apps that focus on fluency

and comprehension into daily student learning.

My area of focus statement stated; student fluency and comprehension will improve, by

incorporating the daily use of the app Sight Words: Kids Learn for fluency skills, and the app

Reading Comprehension for comprehension skills, which will be measured by improved STAR

assessment scores. This aligns with the USM Graduate Program Outcomes which states that

graduates of the advanced program with positively impact their own teaching, the educational

setting, and ultimately the learning of their students (University of St. Mary 2011). This area of

focus statement also aligns addresses Program Outcome number five which states that candidates

implement appropriate instructional models, strategies, and technologies to enhance the learning

of all students, and Program Outcome number six which states that candidates utilize
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measurements and evaluation accurately and systematically to monitor and promote learning

(University of St. Mary 2011). In conclusion, created an action research plan that meets the

conceptual framework for the University of St. Mary graduate program, and the National Board

for Professional teaching Standards. I learned many valuable lessons that made me a more

effective teacher, and better able to meet the needs of all of my students.

Meeting Needs of Diverse Students

The graduate programs promote synthesis, integration, interpretation, and critical analysis

of new knowledge through rigorous, problem-centered, scholarly study (University of St. Mary

2011). I began by researching diverse students in the classroom, then narrowed down my topic to

meeting the needs of gifted and talented students. I continued to research how I could engage

these students in more learning throughout the school day. I implemented an online learning

environment and Reading Interest Inventory, and collected and studied the artifacts to decide the

next course of action. This follows the University of St. Mary Knowledge in Action Framework.

This Action Research project met the criteria for the second point of the University of St.

Mary Graduate Program Outcomes which states; Candidates demonstrate knowledge of diverse

learners, including all forms of exceptionality, and create instructional opportunities that meet

the needs of all learners (University of St. Mary 2011). It also meets the eighth point which

states; Candidates demonstrate the ability to be reflective practitioners by identifying a problem,

examining research, advocating solutions, implementing a plan, and measuring and evaluating

outcomes (University of St. Mary 2011). These points were both addressed in my area of focus

statement which stated that by creating a virtual learning environment for the gifted and talented

students, time that these students spend engaged in active learning would increase, which would

be measured by a decrease in the amount of time these children currently spend reading to self
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and helping in the classroom. These were measurable by a journal that showed an increase in

time students spent actively engaged in learning, an attitude scale that showed students went

from being bored with all of the time spent in reading to self to being excited to continue

learning in the online learning environment, and more awareness about what books they students

were interested in reading.

This Action Research Project met four out of five of the National Board of Professional

teaching standards; teachers are committed to students and their learning, teachers are

responsible for managing and monitoring student learning, teachers think systematically about

their practice and learn from experience, teachers are members of learning communities

(National Board of Professional Teaching Standards 2002). I am committed to students and their

learning. I monitored and managed the needs of the gifted and talented learners in my class. I

thought systematically about how to meet their needs and will continue to learn from experience.

I am also a member of the learning community with the University of St. Mary graduate program

and continue to learn and grow through this program.

Curriculum Design and Differentiation

This action research project met all five of the National Teaching Standards. Studying the

CCSS and identifying a need for improving reading curriculum shows a commitment to students

and their learning. I researched the reading standards that I needed to meet and how to create

differentiated reading groups to teach these standards. I created a reading center schedule to

manage student learning. I also documented groups students attended and the small groups that I

met with to monitor student learning. I systematically thought about the issue of reading

curriculum in my class, researched how to create differentiated reading groups to improve

students learning, implemented a small reading group center schedule in my classroom, and plan
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to continue improving reading centers with the addition of small group writing instruction. I am a

member of my class learning community at the University of St. Mary. I also joined the

curriculum planning committee which is researching new reading curriculum for the school for

next year, and shared my research from this class with them.

The USM Graduate Conceptual Framework states that the aim of the Knowledge in

Action model is to help students identify and improve their practical arguments. This should

result in improved classroom practices and greater student achievement (University of St. Mary).

An essential act of our profession is the crafting of curriculum and learning experiences to meet

specified purposes (McTighe, Wiggins 2005). This class helped me to think about Understanding

by Design backwards lesson plan design. Once I started looking at the standards and worked

backwards, I realized that I needed to do something to increase student achievement in reading. I

was able to create a research based Action Research plan to improve classroom practices by

creating a differentiated reading center schedule. This process improved my classroom practices

in curriculum, differentiation, and increased student achievement.

This process relates to the first USM Graduate Program Outcome which states that

candidates draw from their knowledge of education theory and research to undergird the formal

and informal education processes that impact P-12 students' learning and the learning

environment. I researched how to implement a differentiated reading group schedule that

impacted my first grade students learning and learning environment. It also related to the second

point which states that candidates demonstrate knowledge of diverse learners, including all forms

of exceptionality, and create instructional opportunities that meet the needs of all learners.

Having an all done center meets the needs of students who finish quickly and still need to be

actively engaged in learning. Setting up a timer on a projector helped motivate the slower
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students. I was also able to meet with small reading groups each day to give students

individualized, one on one reading instruction. This project also met the fourth GPO which states

that candidates apply their knowledge of curriculum content and design to support learners

construction of knowledge. I studied the CCSS to design reading centers that were modeled from

the Toolbox from our textbook, Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom. This design

helped me create centers to support learners construction of knowledge. The fifth point states

that candidates will implement appropriate instructional models, strategies and technologies to

enhance the learning of all students. I implemented a new instructional model from the book

Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom, and used many strategies that helped me to

set up a small group reading center schedule. I also set up new technology in the form of

listening centers using iPad technology using the website Just Books Read Aloud, all of which

supported students construction of reading knowledge. Point number six states that candidates

will utilize measurements and evaluation accurately and systematically to monitor and promote

learning. The strength of educational research lies in its triangulation, collecting information in

many ways rather than relying solely on one (Mills 2014). I gathered both quantitative and

qualitative data to triangulate and evaluate how I could make the centers run more smoothly each

day. And finally, point number eight is what this entire paper is about; stating that candidates

demonstrate the ability to be reflective practitioners by identifying a problem, examining

research, advocating a plan, and measuring and evaluating outcomes.

Research Based Assessment Strategies

This action research project meets all five of the Core Propositions of the National Board

of Professional Teaching Standards. Participating in this class shows that I am committed to

students and their learning by participating as a member of a learning community. Spending time
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researching, implementing research based practices in my class, and reflecting shows that I think

systematically about my practice and learn from experience. Using the STAR assessments for

progress monitoring and setting up differentiated small reading groups shows that I am

responsible for managing and monitoring student learning. Studying the STAR results and

planning fluency and comprehension lessons to meet the needs of the differentiated small groups

shows that I know the subject and how to teach the subject.

Throughout the entire class we worked to meet University of St. Marys Conceptual Framework

of research and reflective practice. This action research project helped me to meet the first

Graduate Program Outcome (GPO) of drawing from my knowledge of education theory and

research to undergird the formal and informal education process that impact first grade students

learning and learning environment. I did this by studying and researching assessments to help

students learn in differentiated reading groups and learn testing skills for formal testing. I also

met the second GPO in which I demonstrated knowledge of diverse learners, and created

instruction opportunities to meet the needs of all learners, by using STAR assessments to create

differentiated small reading groups to better meet the needs of all students. This project also

helped me to meet the sixth GPO of implementing instructional models, strategies, and

technologies to enhance learning of all students. I implemented computer based progress

monitoring to help set up the strategy of differentiated small reading groups and progress

monitoring. And finally this project meets the eighth GPO in which I demonstrated the ability to

be a reflective practitioner by identifying a problem, examining research, advocating a plan, and

measuring and evaluation outcomes. This GPO is exactly what we did in this class from start to

finish.
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Teacher as a Leader

The University of St. Mary Conceptual framework states that; our conceptual framework

builds upon the belief that teachers are leaders who shape change though research and reflective

practice. Creating a leadership map followed this framework through research of best practices

and reflecting about our school and what we can to continually make it better. Creating this map

met the second disposition in the framework which state that candidates in the program will

dedicate themselves to life-long learning and professional development, and the third disposition

that states that I will provide leadership in shaping change within learning communities.

Monitoring retention and looking at changes that may need to happen meet the fifth and sixth

dispositions to perform critical analysis and reflective practice with honesty and integrity.

I feel that this leadership map incorporated the third, fourth, and fifth core propositions of

the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. The third proposition state that teachers

are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning. By implementing an annual

survey to monitor how the students are feeling about the school I will be better able to monitor

how students are feeling about the school and their learning experience. The fourth proposition

states that teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience. By

monitoring retention and the surveys I was able to think systematically about retention and use

the information to plan what to implement next. Being a part of this class meets the fifth standard

that states that teachers are members of learning communities. Being a part of this class has

helped me to learn and grow as a professional.

This leadership map met the first graduate program outcome which states that candidates

will draw from their knowledge of education theory and research to undergird the form and

informal education processes that impact p-12 students learning and learning environment. I
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used my research to create a plan for improving students retention which affects the learning

environment when students choose to leave the school each year. This project met the third

outcome which states that candidates critically reflect on ethical and moral implications of

actions as they relate to all learners. This was addressed when I submitted my certificate from the

National Institute of Health tutorial on the Protection of Human Research Participants, to the

University of St. Mary Institutional Review Board. This project meets the seventh outcome

which states that candidates apply quality principles of leadership, including skills of effective

communication, collaboration, and motivation to shape change and improve the learning

community. Our school focus this year is retention and I have shared this project with my

principal, co-workers, and school board. All together this course has met the eighth outcome

which states that candidates demonstrate the ability to be reflective practitioners by identifying a

problem, examining research, advocating a plan, and measuring and evaluating outcomes.

Professional Learning Communities

The knowledge of teacher leadership that I gained in this class relates to the USM

conceptual framework of Knowledge in Action that teachers will dedicate themselves to life-long

learning and professional development. This entire class talked about continuing to learn and

professional development with co-workers. This class also addressed providing leadership in

shaping change within learning communities. Each week we learned about how to help shape

change in our school. It also met the goals of performing critical analysis and reflective practice,

fulfilling professional responsibilities with honesty and integrity, and encouraging and modeling

self-assessment through the Action Research Project.

The knowledge that I gained in this class mainly relates to two of The National Board of

Professional Teaching Standards. Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn
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from experience and teachers are members of learning communities. Each week we would think

systematically about what we had researched and reflect with the class on how we could

implement the research in our school. We also talked about the PLCs that we work with in our

schools. We reflected on how our PLC ran and what we could do to make it function more

purposefully and effectively.

The knowledge that I gained in this class related to two of USM Graduate Program

Outcomes. The first stated that candidates apply quality principals of leadership, including skills

of effective communication, collaboration, and motivation to shape change and improve the

learning community. Each week we learned about leadership, reflected on what our current

reality is, and worked to motivate and implement change in our school and learning community.

The second stated that candidates demonstrate the ability to be reflective practitioners by

identifying a problem, examining research, advocating a plan, and measuring and evaluation

outcomes. We did this through our Action Research Project. I identified the problem of student

retention, examined research of implementing an annual survey and monitoring retention rates,

advocating a plan with my principal and co-workers, and am measuring the results with a paper

that I will be able to share with our staff, parents, and school board.

Professional Collaboration and Peer Coaching

The aim of the Knowledge in Action model is to help students identify and improve their

practical arguments resulting in improved classroom practices and greater student achievement.

This class helped me to research best practices for coaching. I was able to apply these concepts

with my coachee teacher. She in turn was able to identify things in her classroom that she wanted

to improve. These improvements led to greater student achievement in her class.

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This class met all five of the NBPTS. By being a part of the learning community in this

class, I was able to learn best practices for coaching which shows that I am committed to the

students and their learning. I was able to help my coachee look at the subjects that she teaches

and make a plan for how to teach the subjects. We also talked about looking at fall assessments

and comparing them to winter assessments to manage and monitor students learning. Throughout

the process I systematically thought about the coaching process and learned about how to

become better and listing, and giving more effective feedback to my colleagues.

This class met the first GPO because I was able to learn about the educational theory and

research of coaching to impact learning in the pre-kindergarten classroom by working with the

teacher. This also met the fourth GPO of applying the knowledge of curriculum content in the

pre-kindergarten classroom to better support them learning their numbers. We met the fifth GPO

by implementing appropriate instructional models, strategies, and technologies to enhance

learning of all students by implementing Dr. Jeans Chant and Write number program and

printable book into the classroom. This met the sixth GPO by utilizing measurements and

evaluation accurately and systematically to monitor and promote learning. I did this by studying

Marzanos stages of coaching to carefully plan coaching meetings, by planning moving from Not

Using (0) through all of the staged to Innovating (4). I met the seventh GPO by working to

effectively communicate, collaborate, and motivate my coachee to shape change and improve the

learning community at our school. I also met the eight GPO by being reflective each week with

my classmates and teacher to talk about what went well, and what I needed to continue to work

on in the future. We identified problems, researched, made plans, and measured and evaluated

the outcomes each week to continuously improve our practice.

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21st Century Teaching and Learning Strategies

This process related to the USM conceptual framework of Knowledge in Action that

builds upon the belief that teachers are leaders who shape change through research and reflective

practice which should result in improved classroom practices and greater student achievement. I

researched best practices for teaching 21st century skills, then reflected upon how I could better

incorporate them into my classroom. I implemented a plan to incorporate 21st century skills into

our religion classs community service project. After implementation I again reflected on how

implementation went and what I could do in the future to continue to improve. This project

helped to improve the use of 21st century skills in my classroom. Students were able to achieve

more learning with their community service project than they have in the past.

This Action Research project met all five of the Five Core Propositions of the National

Teaching Standards. Implementing this project shows that I am committed to students and their

learning. By studying and researching I learned how to implement 21st century skills into first

grade religion to become better at teaching this subject to my students. I was responsible for

managing the project and monitor what students learned about water and thirst. I thought

systematically about how to incorporate many 21st century skills into one project, then reflected

and learned from the process. Being a part of the class helped me to be a member of a positive

learning community that gave me advice and helped me to make my project the best that it can

be.

This project met the first GPO by drawing on the education theory of incorporating 21st

century skills into the classroom to undergird the formal education process in first grade religion

and help the students learn with technology, collaboration, creativity, and leadership. This also

met the fifth GPO by helping me to implement appropriate instructional models, strategies, and
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technologies to enhance 21st century skills of all students in my class. This met the seventh GPO

to apply qualities of leadership, effective communication, collaboration, and motivation to shape

change and improve the learning community. The students showed leadership in presenting their

finished posters to their class, the school, and at the fun run. They had to effectively

communicate and collaborate with their partner to create a poster. They shaped change in the

community by bringing awareness to the global issue of thirst, collecting formula for a local

womens shelter, raising money for the local soup kitchen, and will be passing out water at the

fun run water stations. This entire process demonstrated my ability to be a reflective practitioner

by identifying the problem that students were not incorporating 21st century skill in their first

grade religion community service project. I researched 21st century skills, advocated a plan, and

then reflected by measuring and evaluating the outcomes.

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References

McTighe, J., Wiggins, G. (2005). Understanding by Design. Alaxandria, Virginia: Association for

Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Mills, G.E. (2014). Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher (5th Ed.).

Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.

National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. (2002). What Teachers Should Know and Be

Able to Do. Arlington, VA.

University of St. Mary. (2011) Conceptual Framework for Graduate Programs. Leavenworth,

KS.