Making Changes

After doing more research on my topic, I have decided to change the terminology that I have been using. My current question is "In what ways does homogeneous grouping affect student academic growth in first grade literacy?" I should actually be using the term ability grouping instead. My research project involves the first grade classrooms switching from within-class ability grouping to between-class ability grouping for Balanced Literacy instruction. There is research supporting ability grouping for Reading instruction as long as the students spend the rest of the day in a heterogeneous classroom. Therefore, my new and improved question is "In what ways does between-class ability grouping affect student academic growth in first grade literacy?" Much better.

Draft Action Research Plan

Tool 7.1 Action Planning Template

Goal: The purpose of this project is to address the question “In what ways does between-class ability grouping affect student academic growth in first grade Balanced Literacy?”

   Action Steps         Persons Responsible         Timeline          Needed Resources         Evaluation  

1. Analyze beginning-of-year TPRI and OS scores as well as current Text Reading Levels of all students. Use this data to divide all of the first grade students into four homogeneous groups.	The four first grade teachers- Mrs. A, Mrs. B, Mrs. C, and Mrs. D.	This step was completed November, 2011.	TPRI data was available through DMAC. OS scores were gathered and analyzed by the classroom teachers. Time is the main resource needed to administer the assessments. The teachers need substitutes for their classrooms in order to properly administer the assessment in a testing room.	Using the available data, place the students into four homogeneous groups of similar size.
2. Assign each group to a classroom teacher. The teacher will then divide her classroom into 4-5 groups of 4-5 students. These smaller groups will also be homogenous based off of the same data in Step #1.  However, each classroom teacher will be able to further analyze the data of each student in order to better meet their needs and group them accordingly.	Each classroom teacher will assign their own groups based on data as well as input on potential behavior issues from the homeroom teacher.	This step was initially completed in November, 2011. However, it is an ongoing step. The groups within the classrooms are fluid.	Data from Step #1.	The classroom teacher will continuously monitor and adjust the needs of the groups in her classroom. The groups should be considered flexible. Students will move throughout groups as new skills are learned and new areas of instruction are identified by the teacher.
3. Classroom teachers conduct Balanced Literacy and Guided Reading groups with their new Reading classes. The teachers will conduct the required aspects of Guided Reading including Progress Monitoring, Running Records, and Student Progress Reports.  This data will be used to monitor and adjust groupings. Learning stations will be designed to meet the needs of the students and provide appropriate levels of challenge.	Classroom teachers are responsible for the implementation of Balanced Literacy and Guided Reading in their own classrooms. The campus literacy coordinator and Reading Recovery teacher are also available resources in this step.	The implementation of Balanced Literacy is daily and ongoing.	The teachers already have the necessary resources for implementing Balanced Literacy.	The classroom teachers continuously evaluate the progress of individual students through progress monitoring and running records.
4. Assess progress after 9 weeks of implementation. This step will include the administration of mid-year TPRI and OS. Once scores are available, student progress from beginning-of-year to mid-year will be charted. We will identify which students are showing the most progress and which appear to be progressing the least. Adjustments within and among classroom groupings will be made at this time. During this step the teachers will also discuss the idea of whether or not to rotate teaching assignments. Is it unfair that one teacher gets to work with all of the really “high” kids or is continuity better for students and teachers?	Classroom teachers will be responsible for administering the assessments. Analysis and evaluation will take place teachers, literacy coordinator, principal, and myself.	Middle-of-the-year TPRI and OS testing took place February 3, 2012.  The results should be available for analysis by February 13, 2012.	Test data; mid-year goals designated by the teachers in October.	This step is the evaluation.
5. Resume Action Step #3. Teachers continue with Balanced Literacy after implementing any necessary modifications identified in step #4.	Classroom teachers.	Daily and ongoing until end-of-year testing in May.	Resources for Balanced Literacy already in place.	Student progress will be evaluated with progress monitoring and running records.
6. Analyze end-of-year results in order to determine rate of student growth.  We will attempt to identify what, if any, impact homogeneous classroom groupings has on student growth in Balanced Literacy.	Classroom teachers, literacy coordinator, principal, and  myself.	The end-of-year TPRI and OS results should be available for analysis by May 11, 2012.	TPRI and OS data. Similar data from first grade students in previous two school years.	We will use all available data to evaluate overall growth of individual students and ability groups. We will then compare the rate of growth for this year’s students with the rate of growth for previous first grade classes. We hope to be able to determine which type of grouping provides the most benefit to students.

Site Supervisor Conf. 1

I spoke with my principal last week about potential ideas for research. I had 3 in mind, but she had another idea. At first I was hesitant. I liked my ideas. Eventually I agreed simply because she is my boss. I thought about going back to her to attempt to persuade her to agree to one of my own ideas. This caused me to dig deeper into my own ideas as well as her suggestion. Naturally, this allowed me to see that she was right. My action research study will allow me to collaborate with the four members of the first grade team as they implement a modification to the traditional Balanced Literacy approach. The aspect that will be modified is the way in which classes are divided into groups. Traditionally, each classroom divides itself into 5-7 groups of 4-5 students. These are homogeneous groups categorized along a continuum of low to high performing in reading. The groups then work through a series of learning stations designed to reinforce concepts of literacy while the teacher conducts Guided Reading lessons with each group. What frequently happens in classrooms is that the teacher spends the majority of his/her time reading with low groups while high groups are only worked with a couple of times per week. Also, many teachers have difficulty offering enough differentiation in the stations to meet the full needs of learners. The questions then arose, "How might each group benefit if they were in a room of similar performing groups?", "What if the teacher were able to tailor whole group lessons to more efficiently meet the needs of the whole group?", "Would our high performing students increase their performance if provided more challenging curriculum?" and "Will the struggling students show increased improvement with more time for individualized instruction?"
In order to answer these questions, the first grade teachers have divided the entire grade level into ability groups. The students are told that they will get to switch classes for Literacy. They have a homeroom teacher, a literacy teacher, and a math teacher. The homeroom teacher and math teacher are the same, but it still helps with the feel of changing classes like the older kids. Each teacher is then assigned groups of students with similar abilities. Struggling readers are provided targeted whole group lessons and Guided Reading. Advanced readers are provided with strategies more appropriate to their skill level. Some logistic details are still being worked out. The effectiveness of this experiment will be evaluated through TPRI and Observation Survey data collected at the beginning of year, middle of year, and again at the end of the year.

Getting Started

A week ago I had never heard of action research. I saw the title of the course and my mind instantly went to my experiences with traditional research. Needless to say, I wasn't exactly excited. However, the more I learn about this idea, the more intrigued I get. The most appealing aspect of action research is the fact that it is truly relevant to me and my work. Traditional research consists of outside researchers and experts gathering information.  Maybe their findings will apply to me and maybe they won't. With action research, I am able to review the literature that is already available and then apply it to my own practices and then reflect on the results that I am seeing. I am excited about the prospect of applying my learning to my real world. I will admit that I frequently file research and studies that my principal provides to me without ever looking at them. I treat these stacks of paper like tax returns. I file them until I don't think anyone will ask to see them and then I trash them. Action research is different in that it is chosen by me, designed by me, implemented by me, and evaluated by me. This degree of ownership increases the likelihood that it will be effective to me professionally.


The blog examples provided in the Dana text illustrate the value of this forum for educational leaders.  Principals and administrators from around the country are able to collaborate in a way that would otherwise be impossible. I also like the idea of having a place to keep and organize my ideas before I lose them. My class just completed a literature study on Bud, Not Buddy. In the story Bud compares ideas to seeds.  Just a little puff of wind and they can be gone.  I want to think of this blog as a place to keep my seeds until I am ready to plant them or they are ready to be planted.