Concerns:
1. Teachers need to know what is expected of them from the Administration.
2. Teachers need to know when to send students to the office.
3. Teachers need to know what the procedures are from the Administration point of view.
Affirmations:
1. Communication must remani strong between the Administration and the teachers.
2. Follow-through must continue with all discipline procedures that occur.
3. Input of discipline information into Eduphoria must continue when a student is sent to the office, this is a requirement.
Recommendations:
1. Procedural flow chart must be disseminated to all staff in order to communicate the procedures for discipline before school begins.
2. Staff must be exposed to Love and Logic for the classroom before school begins.
3. Staff must be exposed to Capturing Kids' Hearts before school begins.
Evaulate:
1. Feedback loops must be in constant use throughout the school year to keep a pulse on issues that arise.
2. Staff surveys/responses to blog must continue to guage how the teachers feel about the process/program.
3. Eduphoria reports will be able to help us track the data throughout the year regarding discipline referrals.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
My Action Research Project on Discipline
My action research statement: I would like to learn how best to implement a school-wide behavior management system where all stakeholders support the program and where the program is as transparent as possible.
Goals and objectives:
To learn how to implement a school-wide behavior management system where all stakeholders support the program.
Activities:
1. Surveys will provide valuable infomration for developement of program.
2. Discussions and informational meetings with Principal and Assistant Principal will guide the program.
3. Watching the Love and Logic series on school/classroom behavior management will help develope the program.
4. Reading online journals and articles will assist me in learning how other schools have implemented such programs.
5. Reading information from Capturing Kids' Hearts will also assist in a variety of ways.
Resources and Tools:
1. Love and Logic video series (available in our office at school).
2. Online journals and articles
3. David Langford Continous Improvement Notebook will guide my journey.
4. Notebook from Capturing Kids' Hearts
Timeline:
Early June - Flowchart current behavior system to see where the breakdowns in communications are happening. Discuss findings with Assistant Principal and get feedback.
Late July-August 1, 2010 - reading and reserach
August 3, 2010 - Meeting with Leadership TEam to get feedback and information from them on the classroom teacher portion of the project.
Early-Mid August - Flowchart new behavior system to include details.
August 20, 2010 - Meeting with all facutly and school personnel to train on Love and Logic and Capturing Kids' Hearts for teachers to be able to implement in the classroom.
August 23, 2010 - Implement school-wide behavior managment program.
Persons Responsible:
Assistant Principal - checking and approving all documents written and leading the progress of the project.
Assistant Principal - training on Love and Logic
Principal - training on Capturing Kids' Hearts
Me - assisting the Principal and Assistant Principal on all trainings, writing the flow charts, and all the matrixes that are needed.
Progress Monitoring:
1. Ongoing feedback loops after all meetings, trainings, and throughout the school year.
2. Continuous reports will be printed and reviewed once a month from Eduphoria on office referrals and discipline outcomes.
Assessment and Evaluation Tools:
1. Surveys
2. Feedback Loops
3. Eduphoria information
4. Informal discussions and dialogues with teams throughout the school year.
Goals and objectives:
To learn how to implement a school-wide behavior management system where all stakeholders support the program.
Activities:
1. Surveys will provide valuable infomration for developement of program.
2. Discussions and informational meetings with Principal and Assistant Principal will guide the program.
3. Watching the Love and Logic series on school/classroom behavior management will help develope the program.
4. Reading online journals and articles will assist me in learning how other schools have implemented such programs.
5. Reading information from Capturing Kids' Hearts will also assist in a variety of ways.
Resources and Tools:
1. Love and Logic video series (available in our office at school).
2. Online journals and articles
3. David Langford Continous Improvement Notebook will guide my journey.
4. Notebook from Capturing Kids' Hearts
Timeline:
Early June - Flowchart current behavior system to see where the breakdowns in communications are happening. Discuss findings with Assistant Principal and get feedback.
Late July-August 1, 2010 - reading and reserach
August 3, 2010 - Meeting with Leadership TEam to get feedback and information from them on the classroom teacher portion of the project.
Early-Mid August - Flowchart new behavior system to include details.
August 20, 2010 - Meeting with all facutly and school personnel to train on Love and Logic and Capturing Kids' Hearts for teachers to be able to implement in the classroom.
August 23, 2010 - Implement school-wide behavior managment program.
Persons Responsible:
Assistant Principal - checking and approving all documents written and leading the progress of the project.
Assistant Principal - training on Love and Logic
Principal - training on Capturing Kids' Hearts
Me - assisting the Principal and Assistant Principal on all trainings, writing the flow charts, and all the matrixes that are needed.
Progress Monitoring:
1. Ongoing feedback loops after all meetings, trainings, and throughout the school year.
2. Continuous reports will be printed and reviewed once a month from Eduphoria on office referrals and discipline outcomes.
Assessment and Evaluation Tools:
1. Surveys
2. Feedback Loops
3. Eduphoria information
4. Informal discussions and dialogues with teams throughout the school year.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
My Web Page Link
http://classroom.leanderisd.org/webs/paula.mcclain/home.htm
You can find out what my classroom is like and what to expect at the above address!
Go Comets!
Friday, July 16, 2010
What should a Principal research while in office?
Everything he or she can!
Okay, specifically, there is a list I learned about: staff development, curriculum development, individual teachers, individual students, school culture, leadership, management, school performance, and equity issues. When a Principal focuses on even one of these issues as an action research or an inquiry, he or she puts themselves in a position of improving test scores, improving attendance rates, lowering discipline problems, and boosting moral for teachers, students, and parents. Why wouldn't a Principal want those benefits?
It is a daunting task to try to pick just one. My suggestion, choose something that you are already having issues with. Make it a part of something you must do anyway (for Principals meetings, district meetings, or staff development). This way, it's not something added to your plate but rather something that you are already needing and wanting to do for improvement. Our plates are full as Administrators...so, don't approach inquiry as something new but rather as something that already fits into what you are doing.
Okay, specifically, there is a list I learned about: staff development, curriculum development, individual teachers, individual students, school culture, leadership, management, school performance, and equity issues. When a Principal focuses on even one of these issues as an action research or an inquiry, he or she puts themselves in a position of improving test scores, improving attendance rates, lowering discipline problems, and boosting moral for teachers, students, and parents. Why wouldn't a Principal want those benefits?
It is a daunting task to try to pick just one. My suggestion, choose something that you are already having issues with. Make it a part of something you must do anyway (for Principals meetings, district meetings, or staff development). This way, it's not something added to your plate but rather something that you are already needing and wanting to do for improvement. Our plates are full as Administrators...so, don't approach inquiry as something new but rather as something that already fits into what you are doing.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Principals...BLOG!
Principals and Educational Leaders, if you are not blogging...START!
On my campus we use blogs to get a pulse from staff on certain issues, we use blogs to involve parents in real-time learning (while they are at work), and we use blogs to communicate information to the staff where they can view videos/files that may be uploaded and viewed in real time. I know what you're thinking...I e-mail already. Well...we are being e-mailed to death! Blogs are a new way where you can upload that powerpoint you had at staff development, attach that inspiring video clip, and even attach videos of what is going on at your campus! What a thought!
Oh-btw-with a blog you don't get an annoying e-mail every time someone responds! Just a thought!
On my campus we use blogs to get a pulse from staff on certain issues, we use blogs to involve parents in real-time learning (while they are at work), and we use blogs to communicate information to the staff where they can view videos/files that may be uploaded and viewed in real time. I know what you're thinking...I e-mail already. Well...we are being e-mailed to death! Blogs are a new way where you can upload that powerpoint you had at staff development, attach that inspiring video clip, and even attach videos of what is going on at your campus! What a thought!
Oh-btw-with a blog you don't get an annoying e-mail every time someone responds! Just a thought!
Administrative Inquiry...and how it can help!
It begs worth noting that my blog IS about the educational world...so do keep that in mind :).
Administrative Inquiry is simply a process for improvment. There are, of course, many different ways to approach improvment on a campus. This is but one of those ways, however I do think it is worth looking at due to the implications that it can have on your campus in a positive way.
Old school methods were where Principals stayed in their offices. Outside experts would then come in, asses the situations on the campus, and instruct the Principal in the best possible thing to do for the campus. It was more of a managerial way to approach a campus. Principals were making improvments, but not really making the decisions about those improvments.
Today, with inquiry-based learning, the Principal is recognized as not only the campus leader but also as an expert about his or her campus. A Principal is encouraged to be introspective about his or her approaches and systems on campus, to look at the data, study what others say, and then make changes and adjustments that are appropriate and meaningful to his or her campus. Thereby making learning much more applicable to the campus at which he or she serves.
After all, when we approach improving systems, we improve things campus-wide!
Administrative Inquiry is simply a process for improvment. There are, of course, many different ways to approach improvment on a campus. This is but one of those ways, however I do think it is worth looking at due to the implications that it can have on your campus in a positive way.
Old school methods were where Principals stayed in their offices. Outside experts would then come in, asses the situations on the campus, and instruct the Principal in the best possible thing to do for the campus. It was more of a managerial way to approach a campus. Principals were making improvments, but not really making the decisions about those improvments.
Today, with inquiry-based learning, the Principal is recognized as not only the campus leader but also as an expert about his or her campus. A Principal is encouraged to be introspective about his or her approaches and systems on campus, to look at the data, study what others say, and then make changes and adjustments that are appropriate and meaningful to his or her campus. Thereby making learning much more applicable to the campus at which he or she serves.
After all, when we approach improving systems, we improve things campus-wide!
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