Action Plan Template

The following is an action plan created to accomplish the goal of improving writing scores by using The Writing Academy as an intervention. 

Writing Survey and Week 2 Overview

This week I started administering pre-intervention surveys to our 4th and 5th grade teachers and I plan to survey our lower level teachers in the near future.  Although I haven't received a great deal of feedback in the first few days, I hope to collect as much information possible addressing the concerns of our teachers.  Also in the near future I plan to survey our students to get an idea of their concerns and ideas.  During my week 2 research class, I learned from other administrators across the state that active research should be ongoing and beneficial to campus needs.  Dr. Lewis, Pasadena ISD Superintendent, suggested one should use research completed by other districts and adapt it to fit the vision of your campus or district.  It is my goal to collaborate with districts in my area who have faced similar challenges regarding low performing student sub-groups. 

The following is a link to a survey for teachers/administrators in other districts to complete.  This data would allow me to analyze what other schools are doing to increase effectiveness.  Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Link to Writing Survey

Blogs In Education

     Blogs can be useful in the educational environment by providing a link in communication between groups of educators or even schools.  Web blogs allow the researcher to collect their information as the inquiry takes place (Dana, 2009).  If used effectively, blogs can be used as a positive tool towards an educator’s professional development. Blogs can also serve as an important function for collaboration between teachers and administrators where individuals may share instructional tips to create a better learning environment.

Dana, N. F. (2009).  Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher.  Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.

Action Research And How I Plan To Use It

Action research is an inquiry in to one’s own practice then using the data collected to create a positive change. In the educational setting action research can help schools create a vision to improve school methods and student learning. I have learned that through active research an individual can create an improved perception of themselves, their educational staff, and students. Action research can be conducted individually, a group working collaboratively, or through a network of educational professionals. No matter the inquiry setting they all share a common goal, to develop professional judgment and create better practices.

          After self-reflecting I have decided to conduct an action research project on the effective use of The Writing Academy on fourth grade writing scores for the 2011-2012 academic year. Our campus recently received an academically unacceptable rating for the 2010 TAKS for low scores in writing, mainly due to two student subgroups. After using a variety of writing curriculums, our campus and district administrators researched and decided to use The Writing Academy for intervention. I plan to use a systematic approach to collect data, survey teachers, and analyze student performance to discover if state standardized testing results will improve. It is my goal during this inquiry to create a better vision for the campus, while also improving my growth as a future administrator.

Here is a link program we are using as an intervention to improve our writing scores.
The Writing Academy Website