Tuesday, October 11, 2011

My action research plan is unfolding and as it unfolds new thoughts and ideas are coming into play.  I have made some changes, due to my reflections and conversations with my colleagues.  I will be posting these soon.  I would love to hear your thoughts to my changes. 
Coming soon............ Revisions

Tuesday, September 20, 2011


As a result of many blog and discussion board comments, I have made some changes to my action research plan.  I have indicated all changes in purple this week (last week/ red, original document/blue). 

I appreciate all comments that were made in either the blog or the discussion board this week.  These comments helped me with the process of reflection, revisions and clarity of my plan.  Many readers commented on the aesthetically pleasing blog and I do appreciate these motivating comments as I continue to make revisions to it. The development of my blog has come through trial and error.  A true learning process!  Also, all my readers agreed with the urgency of this topic.  Fact fluency is a topic that apparently is up and coming in many school districts.  They supported my findings and acknowledged my accuracy and deep knowledge that I have developed on this topic.  I was given many ideas on what others are doing for fact fluency and found many of their programs and lessons to be consistent with our new program.  One important comment was the need to show how I was going to build the fact fluency.  I am so glad that this was mentioned because it helped me to clarify my thoughts for my readers.

As I reflect on the changes I have made below, I contribute the clarity and details to my readers.  This new and improved plan will hopefully provide more direction and specifics as I follow it in the months to come.  I also, added my name and position consistently through the plan to show that I was going to be an active participant in not only dissemination of the data, but also in the process of collecting the data.  Another significant change was the addition of professional development that occurred this past summer.  After reflecting on the process of how we got to this new program, I felt it was necessary for me to show that professional development and training was provided for all mathematics teachers in order to help develop their understanding of number sense and how it affects fact fluency.  Lastly, I felt as though I needed to give more specifics to the last column of my plan: revisions made to SIP based on monitoring and assessments, therefore, I revised this section and tried to give as many specifics as possible (reviewing other blogs helped significantly with this task).



 The knowledge that I have gained from my readers has been very beneficial in the process of revisions and reflections.  I have learned through experience that two minds (or more) are always better than one.  The collaboration of others who are working to achieve the same goals has been very helpful.  I have gotten many ideas from reviewing other’s blogs and action plans.  Lastly, I did make mention to the new TEK revisions that will be implemented in 2013-2014.  Some of these revisions will effect number sense and the direction of fact fluency, (from what I have reviewed in the TEKS draft, it will be an improvement).

Action Research Study Plan Revisions


Action Research Study

Planning Template



Mission Statement
Barbers Hill Elementary will achieve success by educating and motivating a community of learners where individual excellence is expected from students, faculty, and parents working as unified partners so that we provide a strong foundation for a successful future.



Goal:  What effects does a newly implemented district fact fluency program have on developing number sense for struggling third grade mathematics students?

Action Steps/ Activities
Person(s) Responsible
Timeline:
Start/End
Needed Resources/ Research Tools
Evaluation/ Benchmarks
Revisions to SIP based on monitoring and assessments
Professional Development- Fact Fluency
Mary Cummings- Elementary Curriculum Coordinator
June 2011
Creative Mathematics- Kim Sutton
Professional Development On-line Survey
Training of teachers on fact fluency and foundations of number sense increased their awareness of the importance of this issue and gave some suggested solutions.
Professional Development- K-8 Effective Mathematics Program
Sandra Duree- Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction
August 2011
Book Study- K-8 A Study of Mathematics by Marilyn Burns/ Journaling Packet/ Presenter Christy Stewart
Professional Development On-line Survey
Book Study provided cross-curricular discussions on the effective components of a mathematics program including fact fluency.
All 3rd grade math students will take the Inventory Assessment on 2nd grade TEKS
Third Grade Mathematics Teachers

August 29- September 2, 2011
Harcourt Third Grade Inventory Test
D2SC
Data disaggregation Chart
Identify bottom 10% of the third grade
Professional Development Training on New Fact Fluency Materials (Consistent day to day lessons)
Mary Cummings- Elementary Curriculum Coordinator
August/September 2011
Creative Mathematics/ 10 Block Fact Fluency Program
Information presented to all mathematics teachers K-6/ teachers fill out form and signed up for training with Mrs. Cummings
Included 10 Block Fact Fluency Program into our Campus Improvement Plan for all mathematics programs
All 3rdgrade math students will take the Star Math Assessment
Third Grade Mathematics Teachers/ Response to Interventionist/ Math Specialist: Christy Stewart
September 6- September 22, 2011
Renaissance Learning: Star Math Diagnostic Assessment
Star Math Diagnostic Reports
Grade Level Summary Report
Screening Report

Identify bottom 10%- look for trends in student names – list those that are the same as on the Inventory Test

Review current list of Response to Intervention Students/ Tier 2 and Tier3
Response to Interventionist/ Math Specialist :  Christy Stewart
September 22-30, 2011
List of Response to Intervention Students and Tier Levels/ Identified Skills
Progress Monitoring Logs from Interventionist/ Percentages on Skills
Review identified skills on each RTI student and their rankings in the grade level/ look for trends in students names comparing them to previous diagnostic assessments/

Teacher Questionnaire on their students who may have been in the bottom 10%- Background Information
Christy Stewart/ Third Grade Mathematics Teachers/ Reading and Math Interventionist
September 2011
Teacher Questionnaire/ Student Cum Folder/ Progress Monitoring Logs/ D2SC Data/ Classroom Performance/ Grades
Review questionnaire and background information on students
Create a Chart to Track Student Data from Pre/Post Assessments/ Curriculum Based Assessments/ Other Diagnostics
10 Block Fact Fluency Program/ Addition/ Subtraction
Third Grade Mathematics Teacher
Response to Interventionists/ Math Specialist: Christy Stewart
September - December  2011
10 Block Fact Fluency Program/ Creative Mathematics
Pre-Assessment and Post Assessment by Fact Group
Record data on tracking chart/ identified sample group
10 Block Fact Fluency Program/ Addition/ Subtraction
Third Grade Mathematics Teachers
Response to Interventionists/ Math Specialist: Christy Stewart
September- Based on student need
10 Block Fact Fluency Lessons
Specified 10 Block  lessons depending on data disaggregation/ Informal Assessment
Record Data on Tracking Chart/ Show growth of fact group/ plan of action/ move on or repeat block
10 Block Fact Fluency Program/ Multiplication
Third Grade Mathematics Teacher
Response to Interventionists/ Math Specialist: Christy Stewart
October 2011- May 2012
10 Block Fact Fluency Program/ Creative Mathematics
Pre-Assessment and Post Assessment by Fact Group
Record data on tracking chart/ identified sample group

Mid-Year Fact Fluency Assessment
Third Grade Mathematics Teacher
Response to Interventionists/ Math Specialist: Christy Stewart
December 12- 16, 2011
Third Grade Mid-Year Fact Fluency Assessment/ BHISD Assessment Booklet
Record Mid-Year Assessment

Send home record of progress to parent/ report card/ Record information on tracking chart/ determine plan of action based on data
10 Block Fact Fluency Program/ Multiplication/ Division
Third Grade Mathematics Teachers
Response to Interventionists/ Math Specialist: Christy Stewart
January 2012- May 2012
10 Block Fact Fluency Program/ Multiplication/ Division
Record Pre-Assessments and Post-Assessment Scores
Record data on tracking chart/ identified sample group
10 Block Fact Fluency Program/ Multiplication/ Division
Third Grade Mathematics Teachers
Response to Interventionist/ Math Specialist: Christy Stewart
January 2012- May 2012
10 Block Fact Fluency Lessons
Specified 10 Block lessons depending on data disaggregation/ Informal Assessment
Record Data on Tracking Chart/ Show growth of fact group/ plan of action /move on or repeat block
Star Math Assessment
Third Grade Mathematics Teachers
Response to Interventionists/ Math Specialist:  Christy Stewart
December 2011

Renaissance Star Math Diagnostic Assessment
Evaluate Individual Student Trend Lines
Record Data on Tracking Chart/ Show growth in trend line/ If no growth then create a plan of action
End of Year Fact Fluency Assessments/ Addition/Subtraction/ Multiplication/ Division
Third Grade Mathematics Teachers
Response to Interventionist/ Math Specialist: Christy Stewart
May 2012
Third Grade Fact Fluency Assessment/ BHISD Booklet
Compare Mid- Year to End of Year/ Evaluate Progress/
Record End of Year on Student Progress Monitoring Sheet for their 4th Grade Teacher/ Parent Letter sent home in report card

Star Math Assessment
Third Grade Mathematics Teachers
Response to Interventionist/ Math Specialist:  Christy Stewart
May 2012
Renaissance Program
Evaluate Individual Student Trend Lines
Record Data on Tracking Chart/ Show growth in trend line/ If no growth then created a plan of action
Third Grade Teacher Evaluation/ Survey Form on the New Fact Fluency Program
Third Grade Mathematics Teachers
Response to Interventionists/ Math Specialist: Christy Stewart
May 2012
Created by Christy Stewart, Sandra Duree, and Traci Spicola
Use teachers comments and student data to evaluate third grade fact fluency assessments
Revisions will be made based on assessment results/ timeline may change/ comments will be posted in this section
Evaluate Third Grade Fact Fluency Mid-Year and End of Year Assessment (if needed)
Christy Stewart, Traci Spicola, and Sandra Duree
December 2011 and May 2012
Third Grade Fact Fluency Assessment/ BHISD Booklet
Teacher Evaluation/ Survey on the New Fact Fluency Program

Use Evaluation/ Survey to determine if changes need to be made in the assessments/ Look ahead to new revised TEKS for the 2013-2014 school year.
Revisions will be made based on assessment results/ timeline may change/ comments will be posted in this section
Evaluation/ Survey/Identify any new professional development trainings needed on number sense/ fact fluency
All Elementary Math Teachers
RTI Interventionist/ Math Specialist:  Christy Stewart
May 2012
Teacher Evaluation/ Survey on the Staff Development Needs
Use Evaluation/ Survey to determine professional development needs
Create a list of professional development requests or needs and submit to supervisor
Fourth Grade (Same Sample Group)-
Star Math Assessment
Fourth Grade Mathematics Teachers
RTI Interventionist/ Math Specialist:  Christy Stewart
August 2012
Renaissance Star Math
Star Math Diagnostic Report
Grade Level Summary Report
Screening Report

Identify bottom 10%- look for trends in student names – list those that are the same as on the Inventory Test
All 4th grade math students will take the Inventory Assessment on 3rd grade TEKS- normally I would use TAKS data, but there will not be any release of data for the new STAAR in 2012
Fourth Grade Math Teachers
RTI Interventionist/ Math Specialist:  Christy Stewart
August 2012
Harcourt Fourth Grade Inventory Assessment
D2SC
Data Disaggregation Chart/ Evaluate

Chart/ Identify bottom 10% of the grade level
Review current list of Response to Intervention Students/ Tier 2 and Tier3
Response to Interventionist/ Math Specialist :  Christy Stewart
September 2012
List of Response to Intervention Students and Tier Levels/ Identified Skills
Progress Monitoring Logs from Interventionist/ Percentages on Skills
Review identified skills on each RTI student and their rankings in the grade level/ look for trends in students names comparing them to previous diagnostic assessments/
Teacher Questionnaire on their students who may have been in the bottom 10%- Background Information
Christy Stewart/ Fourth Grade Mathematics Teachers/ Reading and Math Interventionist
September 2012
Teacher Questionnaire/ Student Cum Folder/ Progress Monitoring Logs/ D2SC Data/ Classroom Performance/ Grades
Review questionnaire and background information on students
Create a Chart to Track Student Data from Pre/Post Assessments/ Curriculum Based Assessments/ Other Diagnostics
10 Block Fact Fluency Program/ Addition/ Subtraction/ Multiplication/ Division
Fourth Grade Math Teachers
RTI Interventionist/ Math Specialist:  Christy Stewart
October 2012- May 2012
Fourth Grade 10 block Fact Fluency Program/ Creative Mathematics
Record Pre- Assessment and Post Assessment Scores
Based on Fact Groups

Chart Results/ Determine needs of individual students/
The process is the same as stated above when the students were in third grade.
I will track their progress for this year to make note of accuracy, flexibility, and fluency of math groups compared to last year.
Mid-Year Assessment
Fourth Grade Teachers/ RTI Interventionist/ Math Specialist/ Christy Stewart
December 2012
Mid-Year Assessment BHISD Fact Fluency Program
Record Mid-Year Assessment

Send home record of progress to parent/ report card/ Record information on tracking chart/ determine plan of action based on data
Star Math Assessment
Fourth Grade Teachers/ RTI Interventionist/ Math specialist/ Christy Stewart
December 2012 and give again in May 2013
Renaissance Program
Record Star Math Data/ Trend Line
Record Data on Tracking Chart/ Show growth in trend line/ If no growth then create a plan of action
Evaluate Effectiveness of Fact Fluency Program over the past 18-24 months. Review report with supervisor , Curriculum Council, and Math Curriculum Team
All Math Teachers
Curriculum Council
Curriculum Department
May 2013
Action Research Plan Report
Chart/ Graphs to show effectiveness of program/ Review data and determine changes that need to be made as reflected by the data
Make revision to program based on findings from reports/ Make revision based on new TEKS revisions