Check in #2
Root causes, Goal and Objectives
1. Which additional data did you gather to inform your thinking on the problem?
Triangulation is a good strategy that can be used when teachers are seeking for data to find what problem the students have. It takes some comparing notes and looking at the whole picture to be able to see why students are not performing at grade level. After spending more time seeking for additional data, I made some observations not only with my low students, but also with my high readers. What I observed was that high students displayed different behaviors during Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) time. Good readers seemed to enjoy reading. They were reading with accuracy, fluency and good intonation. Whereas the struggling readers were getting frustrated sidetracked, bored, and unable to read a complete sentence. That is when I concluded that the problem relied on students’ inability to perform these three skills: accuracy, fluency and comprehension. Students’ comprehension levels were not being reached because students were stumbling over every other consonant blend. They were changing words and eliminating ending sounds. These three reading skills seemed to be the reason why students were unmotivated and frustrated during DEAR time.
2. After analyzing all data, what do you believe are the root causes of the problem you have identified?
Hard, tangible data is not always enough to get to the root causes for which students demonstrate poor academic performance. Many times, soft data provides that additional piece of information that can be used to triangulate. Soft data could be acquired by teacher’s observing their students. After I had targeted my at risk students, I started my observations in search of more data. Some of the components of an educational root cause that I was able to observe, were the following:
· Student factors- Students presented lack of interest and motivation.
· External factors- Students had inconsistent parent support at home. Homework was inconsistent and students often seemed tired and unrested.
· Organizational structure- In our school we have a clear understanding of our mission for our students. Our vision is supported by the principal and reiterated to all staff during our meetings. Grade level collaboration is there. We meet on a regular basis to touch basis on where we are. Grade level teachers plan together as often as possible and exchange ideas on how to teach some difficult subjects. All teachers are accountable and we exchange and delegate some of the responsibilities. Collaboration is an important part of our panning and teaching practices. The team takes part in important academic decisions for our grade.
· Organizational culture- In our campus we have a healthy relationship among all teachers and staff. Teachers and students take part of our adopted program by Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits Highly Effective People also adapted for students to become effective leaders.
· Instruction- What is most important is the instruction delivered by each teacher in his or her classrooms. When we collaborate as a grade level, we also exchange ideas on how to make our lessons more engaging, inspiring and all teachers have a clear purpose for their lessons. Our lessons are well developed and include powerful instructional routines. They also include modeling, checking for understanding and adjusting if necessary. Collaboration is the time for our students to participate and show what they have learned without being singled out and we make sure to include collaboration time throughout the day.
· Curriculum- Our curriculum is aligned with our district as well as the state and common core standards. In our second grade team, we plan before the year starts and modify the plan as necessary to ensure that students are learning all concepts instead of just meeting deadlines. We touch basis and coordinate our lessons such that to ensure that every teacher is covering the whole curriculum by the end of the school year.
What I was able to conclude was that, in most cases, students’ root causes were caused by external factors. Many times, the structures at home differ from the ones at school and that causes students to have more difficulty adhering to a school-home routine and acquiring good habits that may help them academically.
3. SMART Goal
Goal (problem) : By the first week of June 2016, Students will achieve or approach grade level reading skills.
Objective(root cause) #1: Students will practice reading accurately by reading at home with their parents for 5 minutes following teacher’s rigid method of intervention.
Objective(root cause) #2: Students will learn and practice vocabulary, comprehension, phonics, and fluency by joining an in-class target reading intervention group twice a week with teacher.
Objective (root cause) #2: Students will practice and develop comprehension skills by taking Accelerated Reader (AR) quiz tests at least once a week.
Root causes, Goal and Objectives
1. Which additional data did you gather to inform your thinking on the problem?
Triangulation is a good strategy that can be used when teachers are seeking for data to find what problem the students have. It takes some comparing notes and looking at the whole picture to be able to see why students are not performing at grade level. After spending more time seeking for additional data, I made some observations not only with my low students, but also with my high readers. What I observed was that high students displayed different behaviors during Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) time. Good readers seemed to enjoy reading. They were reading with accuracy, fluency and good intonation. Whereas the struggling readers were getting frustrated sidetracked, bored, and unable to read a complete sentence. That is when I concluded that the problem relied on students’ inability to perform these three skills: accuracy, fluency and comprehension. Students’ comprehension levels were not being reached because students were stumbling over every other consonant blend. They were changing words and eliminating ending sounds. These three reading skills seemed to be the reason why students were unmotivated and frustrated during DEAR time.
2. After analyzing all data, what do you believe are the root causes of the problem you have identified?
Hard, tangible data is not always enough to get to the root causes for which students demonstrate poor academic performance. Many times, soft data provides that additional piece of information that can be used to triangulate. Soft data could be acquired by teacher’s observing their students. After I had targeted my at risk students, I started my observations in search of more data. Some of the components of an educational root cause that I was able to observe, were the following:
· Student factors- Students presented lack of interest and motivation.
· External factors- Students had inconsistent parent support at home. Homework was inconsistent and students often seemed tired and unrested.
· Organizational structure- In our school we have a clear understanding of our mission for our students. Our vision is supported by the principal and reiterated to all staff during our meetings. Grade level collaboration is there. We meet on a regular basis to touch basis on where we are. Grade level teachers plan together as often as possible and exchange ideas on how to teach some difficult subjects. All teachers are accountable and we exchange and delegate some of the responsibilities. Collaboration is an important part of our panning and teaching practices. The team takes part in important academic decisions for our grade.
· Organizational culture- In our campus we have a healthy relationship among all teachers and staff. Teachers and students take part of our adopted program by Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits Highly Effective People also adapted for students to become effective leaders.
· Instruction- What is most important is the instruction delivered by each teacher in his or her classrooms. When we collaborate as a grade level, we also exchange ideas on how to make our lessons more engaging, inspiring and all teachers have a clear purpose for their lessons. Our lessons are well developed and include powerful instructional routines. They also include modeling, checking for understanding and adjusting if necessary. Collaboration is the time for our students to participate and show what they have learned without being singled out and we make sure to include collaboration time throughout the day.
· Curriculum- Our curriculum is aligned with our district as well as the state and common core standards. In our second grade team, we plan before the year starts and modify the plan as necessary to ensure that students are learning all concepts instead of just meeting deadlines. We touch basis and coordinate our lessons such that to ensure that every teacher is covering the whole curriculum by the end of the school year.
What I was able to conclude was that, in most cases, students’ root causes were caused by external factors. Many times, the structures at home differ from the ones at school and that causes students to have more difficulty adhering to a school-home routine and acquiring good habits that may help them academically.
3. SMART Goal
Goal (problem) : By the first week of June 2016, Students will achieve or approach grade level reading skills.
Objective(root cause) #1: Students will practice reading accurately by reading at home with their parents for 5 minutes following teacher’s rigid method of intervention.
Objective(root cause) #2: Students will learn and practice vocabulary, comprehension, phonics, and fluency by joining an in-class target reading intervention group twice a week with teacher.
Objective (root cause) #2: Students will practice and develop comprehension skills by taking Accelerated Reader (AR) quiz tests at least once a week.