Quality Indicators

As a project this week, I have looked through the Quality Indicators given in the Leading With Passion and Knowledge text by Nancy Dana. The quality indicators will be instrumental in helping guide me through my research. They will help me utilize data, and develop myself as a seasoned action researcher.

Quality Indicator 1

Context of Study The context of study is and indicator that gives the overall background of the research. The who’s and what’s are answered in this, and information is given about the school, students, teachers, district, etc. It is often a key component in helping a principal-researcher get started with their inquiry. The context of study will help me in designing my study, and allowing others to understand and collaborate with me in my research. It will also help me in looking at others’ research to analyze whether or not their inquiry is applicable to my campus.

Quality Indicator 2

Wondering(s) and Purpose The wondering and purpose are the backbone to any action research plan. They explain the basis of the original question. Any wondering will have research and data to confirm its appropriateness. Both the wondering and the purpose will be clearly stated and have an open-ended framework from which the action research can be formed. I will use this quality indicator to disclose the needed action on my campus. It will aid my action research by connecting personal knowledge to other research and literature that is applicable to my study. Also, this indicator will allow for inward focus on my personal practices, and utilize my passion for the topic.

Quality Indicator 3

Principal Research Design (Data Collection and Analysis) This quality indicator is instrumental in designing any action research plan worth its weight. Data collection is the key to creating a plan that stands up to hard facts. A good educational leader will use data from many sources, such as scholarly journals, notes, surveys, literature, testing results, interviews, etc. After inception of the inquiry, the researcher is able to create a timeline for data collection, as well as analysis. Data collection will be crucial to my action research plan. It will, in effect, offer immediate results of the success of the planned implementation. This quality indicator will guide me in considering the quality and quantity of sources to utilize, as well as the relation of the sources to my inquiry. It will also provide a timeline.

Quality Indicator 4

Principal-Researcher Learning The effective principal-researcher will provide thoughts and reflections on the action research process. They will offer statements of what has been learned, along with data to that backs up their claims. Also, the research findings will be supplemented with readings and other resources that relate to what has been learned from the process. The principal-researcher will also have a personal reflection statement. The learning process will do many things for my personal action research plan. They will display my findings well for others through multiple strategies, and aid me in selecting the data I will use in making my claims. This indicator will help me in supporting every statement of learning with data. It will also show my reflections to be in line with my own administrative experience.

Quality Indicator 5

Implications for Practice The implications for practice indicators show how the action researcher will pursue future wonderings, and how their research leads them to new questions. It offers details of changes made due to the research, and how they understandably flow from one to another. This indicator will guide me in making changes to my research plan. It will help me figure the changes I may need to make, and how to implement them efficiently. Finally, it will aid me in leading to new wonderings I may have as a result of my research.

Implemenation

The following is the plan our committee has developed. It is ready to be implemented on the first day of school:

School Wide Discipline Plan
Wilson Elementary
2010 - 2011

· The goal of the School Wide Discipline Plan (SWDP) committee is to develop clearly stated, universal goals and expectations for each Ranger, in every area at Wilson Elementary. This all-encompassing plan will be a part of their daily routine, and will guide our campus to a cohesive environment with high standards for each student.

· The SWDP committee decided to clearly outline expectations (of both staff & students) that will be visible. Because we recite the Ranger Creed daily, and the creed contains all of the areas of concern, we will use it as our model of what is expected from each Ranger. The creed did not, however, have a line about doing your best work at all times, so it has been revised as shown below (passed by both SWDP & SBDM committees):

I am proud to be a Wilson Ranger
I will be kind to others
I will take care of our school
I will use my best manners
I will walk and be quiet in the halls
I will be prepared for learning
I will do my best today.

· Every student in the school will now have a plastic folder with a calendar inside. The calendars will be sent out to staff members in August. They can be edited by grade level, but the overall appearance will be universal. These folders will be sent home daily to ensure parent involvement, and student accountability. Inside the folders will be two lists:
· The first list will be for disciplinary action. When a student breaks an expectation, the folder will be signed by the witnessing teacher/staff member. The creed will be clearly listed in the folder, and each line will be numbered. The teacher will sign the folder and list the expectation number on the calendar. If signed, parent signatures will be required.
· The second list is for positive actions. The creed has been reworded into positives, with a list of letters next to each line. If a student is seen doing something positive and/or constructive, the teacher may take folder, and award the student with this accolade.
· Students will be required to have these folders at all times. In the halls, in the cafeteria, in specials, etc. This ensures complete accountability.
· Teachers who sign folders and apply consequences will be responsible for following that consequence through. 5th grade punishment will obviously be very different from Kindergarten, and will be left up to the teachers discretion. We need to utilize natural consequences.

· In an attempt to move away from the tangible side of rewards, we are asking staff members to use words, spontaneous encouragement & special activities, and the folder system to encourage kids to do their best work because they can and because it helps them, not because we are always working for a party, or candy, or stickers, etc.

· In lieu of different grade-level systems of reward, we will be utilizing a school-wide system next year: the boot system. The boot system will be up and running the first week of school. A set of cowboy boots will be displayed at the front office, one boy and one girl boot for each grade, PK-5. When students are caught doing random acts of kindness, modeling our creed, etc, teachers can give them a ticket. They can then take that ticket up to the front office, and place it in their respective boot. Each Friday, Deana will announce winners of tickets drawn from the boots from each grade level on announcements.


· Lastly, the SWDP committee discussed the lack of school unity and fellowship we have been experiencing. As a result, we will be utilizing community meetings:
o One the second day of classes, we will have an all-school community meeting in the gym. At this community meeting, we will go over all expectations with the student body, introduce the folder system & boot system, and review the newly revised creed. We will also explain the new community meeting that will take place weekly in class.
o Every Monday morning (starting the second week back) the entire school will have community meetings. These meetings are designed to be student-led, and are an opportunity for students and staff alike to share affirmations, set goals for the week, develop problem-solving skills, and let the students have a voice in their classes. Many times we forget that the problems we see are not the problems the students see as the most pressing. We need to let them share their concerns, and validate them. We can use these community meetings to accomplish these goals.
o Community meetings will last from 8:00-8:25 or so. If the meeting is going longer but the conversation is rich and vital, then it obviously might take longer that day. The first few weeks will be more teacher-led as we train the students in how to host these meetings.
o An outline of community meeting structure will be presented at staff development in August.

· Immediate office referrals will be:
o Physical aggression
o Derogatory language
o Creating an unsafe environment for others

· Teacher expectations will be in line with student expectations. We need to model the behaviors we want to see. We will follow the creed as the students will.

· Our theme next year will be Be All You Can Be!
· If you would like to read up on behavior theory, try Alfie Kohn’s Punished by Rewards.