Week 4 Assignment, Part 3 - Draft Action Research Project Report

Week 4 Assignment, Part 3
Draft Action Research Project Report

**Disclosure: My original assistant site-supervisor has moved to a new campus and after sharing my findings from my previous topic with my new assistant site-supervisor, she felt it would be best for me to change my direction and explore a new wondering. Therefore, new data collection and analysis will not begin until school starts at the end of the month. **

Improving the Quality of Campus Support for New Teacher Success

How are you implementing the vision (ELCC 1.3)

Improving the Quality of Campus Support for New Teacher Success
Vision: To determine the specific teacher-centered areas new teachers on campus need support and assistance in order to provide a positive and successful teaching and learning experience for both teachers and students./ To provide effective and ongoing mentoring for new and new to campus teachers.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation/Results
Meet with Ms. Jorgenson to discuss what types of assistance are already in place	Brooke Knight and Pat Jorgenson	August 1-3, 2012	Journal to note key components of current plan and key people to include in research, set up meeting time	Meeting minutes
Meet with Mr. Hatch to determine any other important factors related to support improvement	Brooke Knight and Greg Hatch	August 13 – 17. 2012	Journal to keep notes from interview	Meeting minutes
Interview, current new teacher social liaison, Richard Schmidt	Brooke Knight and Richard Schmidt	August 13 – 17, 2012	Journal to keep notes from interview, set up meeting time	Meeting minutes
Meet with staff members to explain action research project. Explain importance of any information they can share towards the vision.	Brooke Knight, Ramstein Staff, Richard Schmidt, Pat Jorgenson	August 20 – 24, 2012	Meeting time during work week, Short Presentation to introduce project to stakeholders	Completed Survey Evaluations and Data
Survey all returning teachers about their experience as a new teacher to Ramstein. Have teachers rate areas of support they feel are in need of addressing.	Brooke Knight, Pat Jorgenson	August 22 – 30, 2012	Survey Monkey	Completed Survey Evaluations and Data
Survey all new teachers every week to determine their support needs and how they change over the first quarter	Brooke Knight and Pat Jorgenson	August 20 – October 31, 2012	Survey Monkey	Completed Survey Evaluations and Data
Meet with Pat Jorgenson every other week to assess current data and collaborate on other issues related to supporting new teachers	Brooke Knight and Pat Jorgenson	August 20 – October 31, 2012	Journal for note-taking, data from teacher surveys, notes from teacher interviews
Interview new teachers about their experience/ Assess the needs of different types of teachers – CONUS, Local Hire, and Transfer, Similarities and Differences?	Brooke Knight and the new teachers	August 20 – October 31, 2012	Journal for note-taking, anonymous results from other teachers to assess support  needs	Meeting minutes
Interview returning teachers about their experience	Brooke Knight and the returning teachers	August 20 – October 31, 2012	Journal for note-taking, anonymous results from other teachers to assess support  needs	Meeting minutes
Meet with housing office to determine the best way for new teachers to have a successful move overseas. Options for help with house hunt, bill set up, etc	Brooke Knight and Housing Office Representative	October 29 – November 2, 2012	Journal for note-taking. Results from teachers in regards to their moving experience, set up formal meeting time	Meeting minutes
Meet with PTSO to find out what is in place for welcoming new teachers and introducing new teachers to the community. What can we do to improve	Brooke Knight and PTSO Leadership	September 3 – September 28, 2012	Journal for note-taking, set up formal meeting time	Meeting minutes
Informally meet with CSI team to share data results and findings. Share my recommendations and begin devising implementation process for the 2013 – 2014 school year	Brooke Knight, CSI Leadership Team, and Administration Team	Meeting: November 19 – 2, 2012 Implement Improvement Plan for 2013 – 2014 school year: January 2013 – August 2014	Data Results from Surveys and Interviews, Power Point or Prezi presentation, Journal for Note-taking and other wonderings and suggestions, “thank you” refreshments	Meeting Minutes
Informally share findings at an RHS staff meeting to let teachers know about findings	Brooke Knight and RHS Staff	December 2012 (based on staff meeting times)	Data Results from Surveys and Interviews, Power Point or Prezi presentation, Journal for Note-taking and other wonderings and suggestions, “thank you” refreshments	Meeting Minutes
Conduct a satisfaction or Conduct a satisfaction or feedback survey to all stakeholders impacted by the action research project. Compare the results of the initial needs assessment and the ending survey in measuring increased student achievement or improvement to the school culture/learning environment.	Brooke Knight and RHS Staff	December 2012	Survey Monkey	Data Analysis of Survey Results

Steward the Vision (ELCC 1.4)

The process used to build a shared commitment to the action research project will include an

introduction and overview of the project before it begins. Every teacher on campus has been a

beginning teacher or a new to campus teacher. They remember the struggles they had and the

advice they wish someone would have shared with them. Because the staff members can

empathize with the teachers who will be join our staff, hopefully, they will feel a sense of duty to

 contribute to the research to improve teacher support. In order to help alleviate the process for

teachers, I will allow plenty of time to set up interview times so that they are able to plan around

their busy schedule. Also, I am using Survey Monkey to collect the majority of my data. Using

an online survey, allows for an easy data collection process. Surveys will be sent out at the

beginning of the week and teachers will have a full week to complete the survey. Surveying staff

members using Survey Monkey allows me to monitor who has not taken the survey. Teachers

who have not taken the survey when the deadline approaches will be sent a friendly reminder

telling them how much time they have left to contribute. Once the data is collected I will use

different programs to analyze the data. From the data, if there are other areas of interest that are

not included on my current action research place, revisions will be made to include the new

steps.  

Promote community involvement in the vision (ELCC 1.5)

Community plays a very important role in the success of schools. Their interest and support are

key components in creating a positive and unique experience for teachers and students. Their

support can help open doors for both teachers and students, alike.  One of the challenges of being

a new teacher overseas is navigating an unknown country to find housing, set up bills, and

prepare the classroom. One of the ways I would like to help reduce the added stress of these new

teachers tasks is by collaborating with the Housing Office to determine how to better serve new

teachers in their first few months in the Country. Also, parents, specifically, are an important

component of teacher support. I will meet with the parents who are part of the PTSO and

determine how the parents of Ramstein can better support incoming teachers. I would like to

include a time where new teachers are introduced to parents. As I am researching new teacher

support, I will determine if there are other groups within the community who would play a key

role in the process and would have positive effect on the support of incoming teachers.

Manage resources (ELCC 3.3)

My action research project did not require any additional funding. I will be able to use the

school’s computers, paper supply, and online data analysis programs to conduct my research.

The only resources that will be necessary to support my project will teacher time and

participation. In order to manage the time that will be needed to meet with teachers, schedules

will be given ahead of time and interviews with teachers and community members will be

booked in advance at their discretion. I will stragically plan informational meetings to coincide

with staff meetings so teachers are not required to attend another meeting outside of their official

duties. Technology skills will be applied to present information to the Administration, CSI

Leadership Team, and RHS Staff. The presentation will be formatted on Power Point or Prezi

and it will include graphical analysis addressing the support needs of new teachers.

Mobilize community resources (ELCC 4.3)

Based on what I find out from the Housing Office and PTSO about how they can help to improve

the support process of incoming teachers, I will determine the best way to use these services to

support the action research. Another possible research that may be available for vision support is

the School Liaison Officer. Their primary duties focus on incoming students but they may have

information that may be beneficial in supporting an improved New Teacher Program.

Promote positive school culture (ELCC 2.1).

Teacher support is an important part of a positive school culture. Teacher attitude and success

has a direct effect on the attitude and success of students. By determining how to improve the

support new teachers are given, new teachers are shown that the campus cares about their well-

being and will do whatever needs to be done to help them to be successful and in turn that they

care about the success of the students. Also, the action research shows the importance of on-

going research. While there is a current plan for supporting teachers, the needs of teachers have

changed and need to be improved. Showing stakeholders the importance of evaluating the

programs on campus leads to the initiation of change for success for all involved.

Provide an effective instructional program (ELCC 2.2)

Results and Conclusions

(This will be updated after research program is concluded)

Comparison of Data Analysis
Initial Needs Assessment
Ending Survey – Improvement of School Support for Teachers

Conclusions and Recommendations for Modifications of Changes in School: (This will be updated after research program is concluded)

Influencing the larger context (ELCC 6.3)

I plan on sharing my Action Research results informally with the Administration and CSI Team. 

During a CSI Team meeting, I will give an oral presentation over my findings and suggestions. I

will media such as Prezi or Power Point to share my information with the leadership team. I plan

on including key statements from teachers on campus, as well as, survey results in the form of

graphs and tables to help convey my findings. When the information is shared with the teachers,

I will share the information informally, much like it was shared with the leadership team. I will

include the graphs and tables to show the staff the results that they contributed and share

evidence from other researched sources related to the staff’s contributions. The Prezi or Power

Point presentation will be used to help the leadership team and teachers to grasp and hold on to

the main points presented. In order to share my results with other schools, I will share my blog

with the current Administration as I believe they will assist in advocating my recommendations

to other administrators’ in the DoDEA Community. I will suggest sending my blog link to the

other DoDEA Administrative members’ email addresses. When I send the link to my

administrators, I will include an overview that addresses the basics of my research and my

findings to draw in the reader. I am choosing to use my blog link as a mode of communication in

order to allow for feedback and questions that can lead to continued improvement.

Design a comprehensive professional growth plan (ELCC 2.4)

Based on the results and recommendations at the conclusion of my action research project,

professional growth strategies will be implemented to help the faculty improve new teacher

support. While I have not finished with my research one possible strategy may be implementing

a committee that serves as a mentoring team for new teachers. With the selection of the team

members, professional development would be included to help the mentoring teachers learn the

best ways they can serve the new teachers so that they have a successful transition to our school.

 Key Words, Phrases or Terms describing your Action Research Project

new teacher support, teacher support, support for new teachers, new teachers, support system, new teacher support system, new campus teacher, campus support, new teacher support program, new teacher resources, tools and tips for new teachers, needs of teachers new to campus, new teacher training, new teacher mentor, support system for new teacher, instructional needs of new teachers, instructional needs of new campus teachers, new teacher support needs, assisting new teachers, assisting new to campus teachers, improving new teacher support