Transcript A CTION RESEARCH PROJECT

Action Research Project
Dr. David K. Moore, Principal
Cynthia Valdes-Garcia, Assistant Principal
Alex Morales, Teacher Leader
David Halberg, Professional Partner
Young Men’s Academy for Academic and Civic
Development
at
MacArthur South
Superintendent’s Urban Principal Initiative
June 2008
Abstract of the Study
•
The purpose of this study is to improve the writing test scores at Young
Men’s Academy at MacArthur South. The school’s leadership team
concerned is that the writing test scores have declined by 1 ½ points
yearly for the past three years.
•
Created and implemented for a six week period an intensive writing
camp for all 8th and 10th grade students during the last block of the day.
Facilitated by a Language Arts Teacher and Reading Coach, on Mondays
and Wednesdays for 8th grade students; Tuesdays and Thursdays for 10th
grade students and Fridays rotation between grade level.
•
Some students resisted the fact they were being pulled out from their
elective class for intensive writing tutoring. Others realized the
importance why they were being targeted for tutoring. Only a few took
advantage of this opportunity to accept the guidance of the Language
Arts teacher and concentrate on the opportunities for improvement.
Introduction
• Concern: Students across the United States are struggling to meet
minimum writing literacy requirements. Students at MacArthur
South have difficulty mastering the writing process. “One reason
students struggle with writing is that they are unable, for one
reason or another, to tap into their own knowledge resources in a
manner capable of being understood by others.” (Carlin-Menters,
Shuell, 2003) Based on the FCAT Writing Mean Scale Scores,
indicated that the school had declined in writing for the last three
years. Another concern was that passing scores on the FCAT Writing
is a graduation requirement.
• Problem: As a result of student difficulties and limited foundational
writing skills our students demonstrated a lack of proficiency in
writing mechanics.
• Goal/Outcome: YMAACD at MacArthur South students will acquire
writing skills which will result in an improvement in the writing
process. Students need to be able to write and compete in this
global world.
Background/Context
 Originated in 1973 as a Miami Dade County Public Alternative High
school serving at-risk student. Implemented in 2007 a single gender
school with only males, serving students in grades 6-12.
 Serious infractions of the Secondary Code of Student Conduct made by
the students have resulted in an alternative education placement.
 These administratively assigned students enter the school with severe
behavioral, legal and/or attendance problems that have resulted in
unsatisfactory performance, low standardized test scores, repeated
grade detainments, and years of educational deficiencies. The majority
of our student come from a low socio economic background.
 Students are transported from the entire sotuhern section of the county.
Many students are transported by bus as far as 40 miles each way from
school.
 In our study the participants were twenty-four 8th grade students and
seventeen 10th grade students from our accountability group.
Continuation on Background/Context
• Student background information
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38% of the student body is Black non-Hispanic
52% Hispanic
8% White non-Hispanic
less than 2% Asian/Indian Multicultural
40% of the student population is enrolled in the
Exceptional Student Education program
2% of the population are Limited English Proficient
Students (ESOL)
85% of the students are on free and reduced lunch.
83% of our students are Reading at a Level 1
51% of the students are Writing below or at a 3.0 level
78% of the students have failed one or more grades
placing them behind significantly behind school credits
Title I School
Continuation on Background/Context
Research Question
•
How will the implementation of specific writing strategies
in the writing camp and writing across the curriculum,
impact 8th and 10th grade students’ writing
achievement?
Literature Review
•
Graham and Harris 2002, recommend :
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Allocating time each day for writing
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Expose students to broad range of writing tasks
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Create a social climate conducive to writing development
•
Alber-Morgan, Hessler, and Konrad 2004, recommend a process
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Prewriting
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Drafting
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Revising
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Editing
•
Marchisan and Alber 2001, recommend:
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Modeling of writing process (Pre-write – Editing)
•
Kern, et al. , 2003 concur :
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Make time each day
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Use writing process
Intervention
• To implement our plan we created a “Writing Camp” pull-out period which
was used as an intensive writing strategy class for six weeks for all eighth
and tenth grade accountability group of students. Within the class a
language arts and reading coach, worked with each student and monitored
their growth for six weeks.
• Implement writing across the curriculum infused in all classes.
• The Health and Physical Education classes, which are made up of mostly 8th
and 10th grade students, were used periodically as a writing lab. The
reading coach took over those classes at various time to reinforce writing
strategies.
• Provided professional development to the non-languages arts teacher and
language arts to broaden the traits of writing.
• Mandatory Essay Midterm and Final Exams across the curriculum.
• Implementation of an Instructional Focus Writing Calendar
• Summarize and Report Results
Data Collection
• Tools used to collect the data:
– Data Source #1: Summative Data of the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008
FCAT Writing
Mean Scores in Writing
Percentage Meeting High Standards in Writing
– Data Source #2: District Writing Pre/Post Test
1st and 4th Quarter
– Data Source #3: Writing Camp Assessments
Diagnostic Pre/Post
– Data Source #4: Teacher/Student Surveys
2nd Quarter and 3rd Quarter (During Writing Camp)
– Data Source #5: Students’ Interview
Data Trend on FCAT Writing Scores
6
5.5
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Mean Essay Score
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2007
2008
3.1
3.2
3.4
3.4
3.3
3.2
3.2
FCAT Comparison Results
Percentage Points
Meeting High Standards in Writing
100
90
80
70
60
53
50
40
47
48
Feb-07
Feb-08
36
30
20
10
0
8th Grade
10th Grade
Data indicates that 17% of the 8th grade students increased and 1% of the
10th grade students increased meeting high standards in writing.
Data on Writing Camp Target Groups
2008
FCAT
8th Grade
Average
3.0
2008
FCAT
10th Grade
Average
3.5
Writing Post Test
8th Grade Average
2.6
Writing Post Test
10th Grade Average
3.1
Writing Camp Pre Test
8th Grade Average
2.2
Writing Camp Pre Test
10th Grade Average
2.9
4 points of improvement
4 points of improvement
Writing Data Comparisons
6
5.5
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
3.2
2.7
3 2.8
3.5
3.2
3.3
3
2.6 2.5
2.4
2.3
District FCAT
Pre Test 2008
District
Post
Test
8th grade
target group
8th grade
regular
10th grade
target group
10th grade
regular
Data indicates the groups that demonstrated the most improvement were the
8th grade target group (7 points) and 10th grade target group (3 points).
Survey Questions for Students
•
How do you feel about writing?
(78% of the students are not comfortable in writing)
•
Are you confident with the writing process? If not, what makes you uncomfortable?
(92% of the students answered, “not knowing what to write about”)
•
What are the five essay components?
(31% of the students answered correctly)
•
Do you know the different between a persuasive and an expository essay?
(73% of the students understood the difference)
•
What type of essay do you prefer to write, a persuasive or expository essay? Why?
( 97% of the students answered “persuasive”)
•
Who is your favorite author/writer? Why?
(3% of the students answered this question)
•
What is the title of the last book you read?
(17% of the students answered this question)
Implications/Recommendations
As a result of our action research, we will :
 Analyze what has worked and failed as part of our action plan
 Develop strategies on how to target students with an 8th period
academic improvement, pull-out tutoring, Saturday school for reading,
mathematics, writing and science
 Implement in the Instructional Focus Writing Calendar higher level
prompts in the writing assessments
 Continue with the team teaching model as a source of professional
development and modeling
 Research ways to enhance the usage and frequency of the
benchmarks covered in the Instructional Focus Reading Calendar by
integrating writing.
 Implementation of the Writing Camp beginning the 1st Quarter instead
nd
References
• Alber-Morgan, S. R., Hessler, T. & Konrad M. (2001) Teaching
Writing For Keeps. Reading and Writing Quarterly. Volume:14,
263-283.
• Graham, S. & Harris, K. (2002) Instructional Recommendations
For Teaching Writing to Exceptional Children. Exceptional
Children. Volume: 54. Issue 6, 506-522.
• Kern, Diane, et. al. (2003) Less is More: Preparing Students for
State Writing Assessments. The Reading Teacher. Volume 56.
Issue 8, 816-824.
• Marchisan, M. & Alber, S. (2001) The Write Way Tips for Teaching
the Writing Process to Resistant Writers. Intervention in School
and Clinic. Volume: 36. Issue 3, 154-162.