Reflection
What were the challenges?
Throughout my study there were several challenges that arose. Being flexible was one skill I had to develop when things did not happen exactly how it was originally mapped out. When working with kids you have to meet them where they are at. It was difficult when students were absent for different reasons. I felt that once they got behind they were always behind. I had to be creative and flexible about how to give them the content they missed while continuing them on with current instruction. I had a few students who went on vacations that lasted anywhere from a couple of days to a week.
Another challenge arose with students who struggled with behavior. One student struggled to write independently and would follow me around during conferencing. This student did not like writing (specifically the physical act of writing) and tried to avoid it by leaving the classroom to “go to the bathroom.” Another student’s behavior was triggered by writing, which interrupted learning for others on multiple occasions. This was a challenge to work through and problem solve.
During the informative writing unit there is quite a bit of research. Much of the research was done on iPads. It was a challenge to schedule and have iPads available for those few writers who took longer to gather facts. I had to get creative about moving things around in our schedule to support the different needs of my students. Students write at all different speeds. Thus, it became a challenge to keep them on pace yet not rush them too much causing a decrease in the quality of writing. Timing was a struggle to find the balance between giving them the freedom they needed to think and write, but also push them to meet deadlines reasonably. I felt rushed for time in my study to really develop each research-based strategy. For example, if I would have had more time from the beginning of the unit to the assessment, I would have had my students really dissect and analyze their writing (as well as their peers’ writing) with the rubrics and score each component.
What were the successes?
Even though there were many challenges, there were also several successes to celebrate. Many times, students applied the research-based strategies without prompts from myself resulting in high-quality writing. For example, a student (who normally writes a little below average) and myself were discussing introductions during a conference. She turned to me and asked, “May I go get a mentor text about athletes to see if they have a good starting sentence?” My heart leapt with joy and I replied, “Yes, of course!!” I then watched as this student took the idea from a professional book and molded and shaped it by changing words to fit her topic. Originally she wrote, “Olympic usa team 1st place Simone Biles.” Her writing instantly increased in quality to “Has anyone ever told you that you can do flips, jumps, or balance like Simone Biles?”. I saw her do this a few other times. Another success was displayed through the writing self-assessment survey and interviews that I conducted with my students. On average, more students noted that they loved writing and wished they could do it more on their post self-assessment survey than at the beginning of the year. Additionally, their writing identities positively increased in each writing trait except for organization. This is a huge success in elementary school where so often writing causes students to lose self-confidence. I believe this came through highlighting each writer’s strengths (during conferences and sharing out writing as we shared “cheers”) and through fostering a safe environment where students can be vulnerable to share their writing.
I did hear several students say they loved writing and that is the best data I could hear! As a writing teacher, I want to know that my students love writing for that will propel them forward to keep writing. As Devol (2017) said in my interview with her, “the more we write the better writers we become.” (I even heard a student repeat this in post interviews).
Overall, 100% of my students showed growth from their pre-assessement to the post-assessment.
What did the researcher learn as a result of the action research?
This action research gave me an opportunity to authentically analyze data, actively seek out best practices, narrow down what strategies I believed to be best for my students, implement them, and then analyze the results. As a researcher, I learned, practiced, and developed the art of recording data. This can be a challenge with all that happens in a primary classroom! I learned to decipher the data that was the most useful and use it to drive my instruction. This data allowed me to help students better understand themselves as writers, and helped me to move them forward. The learning I obtained from my action research not only benefited me as the educator, but it also helped my students learn and grow. Furthermore, I gained a deeper understanding of the importance of being a proactive, life-long learner. I will continue to seek out resources and best-practices as the educational field advances outside of what is just given to me.
How has the action research impacted student learning?
This study has impacted student learning by exposing students to a variety of quality writing. Through the use of quality mentor texts, my students were able to virtually sit next to professional writers and learn through their skill and craft by listening and analyzing their writing. They learned how to give specific and helpful “cheers” (or praise points) and “challenges” (or teaching points) to their peers. This helped them to become reflective learners and receive feedback. After looking at my classes self-assessment survey, my students have gained a more positive writing identity. My students have a deeper understanding of the components that make quality writing. I believe this came through breaking down each writing trait in the kid-friendly rubric.
How has the action research impacted teaching?
My action research has greatly impacted my teaching for the better. I now have many research-based strategies in my tool box. Furthermore, I have been able to implement and practice them. I feel confident in my abilities to conduct writing conferences with students and whole heartedly believe in the writer’s workshop approach to writing instruction. I now have numerous, high-quality mentor texts at my disposal, and when I want a different one I know where to look and what to look for. I have learned that there are mentor texts all around you, you just have to know what you are looking for (Culham, 2014). Through trial and error, I figured out helpful organized ways to record conferencing data to support my instruction and conduct conferences. Most importantly, I have experienced and gained insight into the all around benefits of action research and I plan to continue with it.
How will this research impact future teaching?
I would like to explore different ways to schedule writing conferences so that I know I am making a difference for each student. I would like to place them in small groups where I can conference and check in with different students within the group. I would like to build on my conferencing skills. For example, I want to be able to carry over teaching points from week to week to really develop a skill and dig deep. I would like to have my students take more ownership their conferences by having them create a goal and work until they have accomplished it. I would like to have my students interact more with the rubric. We discussed it many times as a class and a few times in conferences; however, I want to give my students more opportunities to self-reflect and score their own writing by providing evidence in their writing for why they scored themselves they way they did. I found the data from my students’ self-assessment survey interesting and helpful. I would like to do a self-assessment writing identity survey, but maybe shorten it. I desire to continue to add to my mentor texts. I plan to do a better job at pulling student writing to copy and label what trait it models well to add to mentor texts that are unique to that year and grade level. I want to devote a space in my room and have clear expectations and procedures for students to help themselves during independent writing time without having to interrupt me in conferences. That way those mentor texts act as another “teacher.”
Collaboration with other professionals and community members to transform student learning environments and/or improve student learning.
I was fortunate enough to collaborate with a variety of professionals. I have had numerous conversations with my CADRE associate (who was a former literacy coach), as well as my current building literacy coach. We collaborated on how to integrate writing into guided reading to enhance and deepen student understanding as readers and writers. Students were able to make more connections, practice researching, and analyze writing. I also collaborated with my colleagues on my grade level team and colleagues in my building from other grades. During professional development sessions, I collaborated with other professionals in the same grade level from different buildings in my district. During many hours with my CADRE cohort, I was able to bounce ideas and discuss thoughts with my CADRE peers. A fellow peer also came to watch my writing instruction to see a different style and perspective for teaching writing; thus, I was able to share my action research with a fellow CADRE peer. Additionally, many professors from my graduate courses have supported, stretched, and provided me with many strategies and tools. I have had many conversations and interactions with two of the Paraprofessionals that support my students during writing. We have collaborated together to be able to best support the wide array of needs in my classroom. Furthermore, my students impacted the learning of other second graders as their papers were selected by other teachers to use as anchor texts.
Provide multiple examples of how engagement with both internal and external stakeholders enhanced student learning.
Throughout this study, there were multiple experiences and opportunities for internal and external stakeholders to enhance student learning. For example, my students often supported each other by actively listening and providing their peers with “cheers” and “challenges.” They would occasionally work with a buddy or two to bounce ideas off of each other and work to support each other. Additionally, students supported each other by allowing their work to be copied and showcased or made available as a mentor text for others to reference as a model for their own writing. My students benefited from support given through my building literacy coach and my CADRE associate. Both of these experienced professionals conferenced with students on multiple occasions. Parents were brought in and involved through constant and open communication. For example, during conferences, I explained to my parents my action research and how it was being implemented. I celebrated the successes up to that time. I also actively shared my research and findings with other professionals and colleagues (like my CADRE cohort, PLC team during meetings, administration, building team, other colleagues in the district during our array professional development meetings, and grade level team members). I even shared my findings and research with community members like homeschool parents in my church and educators in other districts.