Our Schools Journey 2007

Slide 1: Action Research Assisting teachers to engage in quality teaching and learning Presented by Tanya Thompson St Andrews Middle School

Slide 2: Action research is the study of a social situation with a view to improving the quality of action within it. Cardno and Piggot-Irvine, 1991

Slide 3: Feedback Feedforward Using data quality to guide teaching reading programme and learning Action Research Projects Sharing learning Questioning intentions The language Co-constructing of Technology criteria

Slide 4: No matter where you start… each component spirals into the others

Slide 5: Our Research Base • ATOL P.D. Action Research • Action Research: A Developmental Approach. Carol Cardno • Practitioner Research

Slide 6: Our First Year •Sharing classroom practice • Workshops with whole staff •Encouraging staff to maintain transparency in teaching and learning •Conference on ‘Talk’

Slide 7: Our Second Year •Set school targets collectively •Set up a school wide process which nurtured the growth of formative practice within our school. •Linked the formative practice process with our appraisal system. •Teachers set their own goals

Slide 8: Our Second Year… •Teachers gathered baseline student achievement and teaching practice data •Teachers were provided with school time to read and discuss professional readings •Teachers receive regular support

Slide 9: What did we learn? •Teachers need to see the necessity for change for themselves. •Teachers need to see hard evidence •Teachers need to be supported when modifying their practice.

Slide 10: What did we learn? •Allowing teachers to inquire about their classroom practice enables them to become better practitioners. •Workshops are often not the best way to modify teacher practice. •Deprivatisation of the classroom leads to higher teacher confidence

Slide 11: Our Third Year •All staff were involved in setting up or continuing with Action Research projects •Specialist and classroom teachers •Teachers receive support via internal structures •Regular focus groups during staff meetings

Slide 12: What did we learn? •Teachers need in class support to make changes at a faster pace •Less teacher frustration with in-class modelling •Teachers need to be supported when modifying their practice.

Slide 13: What are we doing now…? •We have set up rigid support structures in the school •We have clearly linked our appraisal process to action research projects •Teachers read a range of professional readings to support projects

Slide 14: What are we doing now…? • All teachers complete Action Research projects and feed back results during staff meetings and appraisals •Evidence of quality teaching and learning •Evidence based Assessment, Planning and Evaluation •Whole school PD and Staff meetings

Slide 19: What are we doing now …? •Action research projects have transparent links with our appraisal process •Collegial discussions based on teaching and learning •A positive culture of change

Slide 20: What are we doing now …? •As a whole staff we have engaged in collective vision building and implementation project over the next two years •We listen to student voice more readily and act upon it •Clear curriculum development specific to our students

Slide 21: What are we doing now …? •A whole staff exploration of what quality teaching and learning look like in each curriculum area •All staff take an active role setting clear targets using clear evidence from assessment •High use of the evidence based model when planning, assessment and evaluation

Slide 22: Student voice Evidence must Quality writing programme guide planning Action Research Projects Transparent Thinking skills learning ICT to enhance Quality science learning programmes

Slide 23: What evidence has there been of quality teaching and learning? •Student achievement - asTTle data

Slide 24: asTTle AR's Growth 120 AR's Score Growth 100 80 Average 60 40 20 0 1 2 3 4 Year of Project

Slide 25: What evidence has there been of quality teaching and learning? •Student engagement – student voice

Slide 28: What evidence has there been of quality teaching and learning? •Teacher engagement

Slide 30: We aspire to engage our staff, students and families in a community of learning

Slide 31: How can you engage your staff, students and families in a community of learning?

Slide 32: Internal Structures Clear School-wide Expectations •Trust established within the school culture •All staff complete projects •Whole school PD •Target setting in teams

Slide 33: Internal Structures Clear School-wide Expectations •Evidence based planning and assessment •All learning should be transparent •A professional culture of learning and teaching

Slide 34: Internal Structures Staff Meetings Staff meetings are specifically set aside for goal setting/assessment, discussion of professional readings and sharing and celebration of projects

Slide 35: Internal Structures In-Class /Professional Support •Modelling of best practice •Release time •Both in-house and consultant knowledge base of best practice •Individual/group support with planning and assessment

Slide 36: Internal Structures Appraisal Process •Staff set goals with projects in appraisal documentation •Staff collect baseline/comparative data •Teachers keep a reflective journal

Slide 37: Internal Structures Appraisal Process •In-class appraisal where teachers demonstrate changes made due to projects •Teachers must share projects with staff during staff meetings during the year

Slide 38: While teachers hold initial concerns about additional work involved in action research projects, these tend to dissolve as teachers realise the benefits these projects have on their practice and the enjoyment of their profession.

Slide 39: Action Research enables teachers to feel empowered and therefore empowering their students. All stakeholders can make real decisions as active members of a community of learning therefore increasing student achievement.