- Thanks to input from other s2tlc participants I was able to refine my Action Research Project focus so it was not “slanted” toward a specific outcome (assuming that there would be a positive impact as a result of crew at Sullivan).
- Update on my COP in relation to student learning: Thanks to HPS “fuller” school day there is now time available during the school day once a week where I can physically meet with my vertical team within my building. For years we have worked have consistent formats and methods through grade levels to facilitate student familiarity with expectations within the math classrooms. It hasn’t been until we have had this sacred time available every week coupled with the flexibility of the google platform and the ability to co-author academic products that we have been able to jointly develop, streamline, and put to use from 6th-8th grade common rubriks for writing EBQ’s (responses to evidence based questions with thorough but concise supporting evidence), stream line daily warm ups to assess previous day learning, exit tickets (to make students aware of the goal for the end of the class period), weekly spiral homework assignments(that tie in previous standards that support the new standard being taught for the week).
- My VCOP continues to expand: I keep in touch with Keith Wright and one of his former colleagues to support our crew work at Sullivan, I look to Andrea Cooley Strom and appreciate the support from Sandy and Deatrice’s perspectives from Zoom experience, as well as on-going virtual contact with Lori Banks (my rock), Tom Wyze and Jeremiah Barrett as he sends me his former students from time to time. I could not make it through this journey in isolation. I also am working to familiarize myself with the google platform and its version of Skype or Zoom so as to start a virtual classroom across our district in upcoming school year where my students can learn from 7th grade students in other Holyoke buildings and would like to further expand their experiences to interact with other districts across the state or country as well empowering them as communicators.
- Crew: my pet project continues albeit with some blips in the radar due to the different levels of dedication/comfort of different grade levels and staff members. As I have mentioned, I knew this would be our biggest challenge. We were told that we would be given sacred time to develop lesson plans for crew to be shared in order to lighten the load of adding this to our daily responsibilities. As the year went on this was not made possible, for which I take responsibility. I should have fought for it more. At the end of the year the 8th grade team has “time” available after step up that could be dedicated to this end.
Action Research “Crew: Supporting Growth Mindset”
References
- Panorama Survey
- Angela Duckworth “Grit”
- “Mindset” Carol S. Dweck
- Renaissance High School“Crew” manual (collection)
Methodology:
- Through daily structured crew, students build relationships with each other and adult to explore confidence building activities with support of their peers
- Grit Test, Academic scores, observation of personal growth by teachers that had them last year and looped with them again this year.
- Research plan is to quantitatively evaluate student response to united plan to perpetuate growth mindset across content areas and grade levels.
- Survey students and teachers in regards to their experiences with new approach to supporting growth mindset learning/teaching. (districtwide/schoolwide Panorama Survey results available upon request)
- Partnership with Amherst College Athletics.
Data Collection and Analysis:
- Since the onset of the school year, different crews have stepped up and built relationships and become positive role models to the kids in the younger grades by mentoring them in weekly projects/activities. This has greatly changed the building atmosphere.
- Crews have also taken on responsibilities within the building as a way to give back to our unsung hero staff (cafeteria and custodial workers).
- Results from Panorama Survey are in! Students having greater sense of school belonging (up 9% from last year)
- 88% of students feeling safe in their classrooms (up 11)
- 73% of students feel it is possible to change their level of intelligence.
- 68% of students surveyed believe it is possible to change how they behave in class and change giving a lot of effort.
- Teacher-student relationships up 7% to 61% favorable since last survey.
- Next steps for next year include: Increase “Grit”. students fell 4% on the Grit scale (perserverence)
- Ability to self manage: students admit they lack ability to pay attention and resist distractions.
- Partnership with Amherst CollegeDiversity & Inclusion/Director of Club Sports, continues to connect Amherst College student athletes with middle school students..
Recommendations and Conclusions:
- Have you faced any unforeseen challenges?
- Absolutely, not everyone was “on board” at on set of Crew project and it has morphed into different things for different age-level crews. I would have liked to see more consistency from 6-8th grades but it is still a work in process.
- Do you anticipate additional challenges?
- At least my data (and our school’s Panorama Survey results) supports the work we are doing but with an uncertain future at HPS the question arises to, will there be sacred time daily to meet as crews? If not, how can we continue in other ways to support growth mindset in an on-going, thoughtful, and united way with our middle school students? It does appear that with a consistent connection between advisors and their crews, and amongst crew members students feel more connected to their school community. What we have experienced as teachers is an increased willingness by students to take academic risks in the classroom and for teachers to be even more willing to further extend themselves to the emotional and academic support of their students due to their deepened relationships with their crew members especially.
- Do you see any cool opportunities to partner, etc.? I’d like to expand into a virtual classroom connecting with students in other districts or classes within our own district, empowering our students to showcase their talents. I’d like to use virtual classroom, during crew time, to invite in experts in different fields of interest for our students to interact with as well.