Action Research Update

My action research plan focuses on how regular vertical collaboration and planning effect student achievement in the areas of fourth and fifth grade mathematics.  I am collaborating with fourth grade teachers to plan Target Time for the two grade levels on our campus.  Target Time is thirty minutes, each day, set aside to focus on reteaching, reinforcing and enriching skills and/or concepts.  The action research plan is set up to have a common assessment, Target Time, formative work and summative assessments for each skill.

To date, we are on track and progressing with the initial plan.  We have analyzed the data from the STAAR scores from spring 2013.  We have pre assessed multiplication in areas of computation and problem solving.  We then grouped the students according to their needs based on the assessment scores and daily work.  In turn, we conducted Target Time covering multiplication.  We are currently moving forward with division and will follow the plan as indicated.  So far I have documented just over ten hours of toward work with the action research plan. 

Documentation and data results, thus far, have indicated an increase in student achievement through the vertical planning and teaching of the common TEKS for 4^th and 5^th grade math.  So far, the skills have been spiraling with few new concepts added.  My colleagues and I have noticed a difference in the students and their demeanor toward Target Time.  Being able to work with both the fourth and fifth grade teachers seems motivating to them.  They look forward to this time of day, when in the past, it seemed to be the dreaded time.  I am looking forward to May 2014 to determine the overall results of this plan.