Thursday, January 31, 2013

Part 3 Action Research Plan



Action Research Project
Process Overview
Lunch Detention
1.       Setting the Foundation – Teachers feel our current lunch detention plan is ineffective in reducing unwanted behaviors in the school during classes, lunch, or in the hallways. There are numerous repeat offenders assigned detention for the same offense over and over.  We, my site supervisor and I, would like to know if an isolated, firmly monitored lunch detention affect the overall number of students assigned to detention, number of repeat assignments to detention, and student behaviors in classrooms and hallways? We would like to see a reduction in attendance, a reduction in repeat offenders, and a reduction in unwanted behavior in the classroom.
2.       Analyzing Data:
a.        I will review Lunch Detention Assignment Log for number of students assigned, breakdown assignments and calculate repeat offenders, breakdown repeat offenders placed for repeat offenses.
b.      I will create a Teacher Survey evaluating current lunch detention program and current usage of program.
c.       I will research lunch detention programs via internet.
3.       Develop a Deeper Understanding:
a.        Interview with Principal, Sarah Weeks, discuss legalities of sack lunch provided over going through the cafeteria for hot meal, and discuss policies and procedures of the proposed lunch detention plan.
b.      Interview with Assistant Principal, Mike Beaupre, to discuss policies and procedures of proposed lunch detention.
c.       Meet with grade level teams to discuss policies and procedures of proposed lunch detention.
d.      I will meet with the Cafeteria Manager, Jackie White, to obtain procedures of requesting sack lunches.
e.      I will meet with Maintenance Supervisor, Robby Waller, to find a classroom with desks and chairs empty through lunches available to house lunch detention.
4.       Engage in Self-Reflection:
a.       Can I facilitate all 3 lunch detentions?
b.      If downtown does not approve sack lunches, what are our alternatives?
c.       Can I enforce all the rules to all the students in detention alone?
d.      Are there enough desks to accommodate the maximum number of students assigned lunch detention in the past?
5.       Exploring Programmatic Patterns:
a.       Will students report to the correct location for lunch detention?
b.      Will a reduction in attendance correlate with a reduction in unwanted behaviors in class and halls?
c.       Will parents have a problem with sack lunches?
d.      Is there enough time for the students to write a 200 word essay on their behavior?
e.      What will students do with extra time after writing and eating?
f.        What will be done with students there are not enough desks for?
6.       Determining Direction –
a.       I want to know if a an isolated, firmly monitored lunch detention affect the overall number of students assigned to detention, number of repeat assignments to detention, and student behaviors in classrooms and hallways?
b.      We have rearranged my schedule so that I can facilitate all 3 lunches. If downtown does not approve sack lunches, we will take them into the lunch room single filed to get their lunch and they are only allowed the regular lunch with no extra goodies.  IF there becomes a problem in the detention room, I will have a radio for assistance to the Assistant Principal, Principal, Campus Monitor and Police Liaison. If there are too many students to desk/chair ration, there are risers in the room that they will sit on, yet follow the same rules. I will be providing a list of detention students to the teachers prior to the students’ lunch who will remind students of their detention and where to report. With data collection we will find out the correlation between lunch detention and behavior and new detention verses old detention. If parents have a problem with the sack lunches, they will be referred to the principal and provided documentation of the school meeting all nutrition requirements.  Students will continue to follow the rules of sitting silently, straight forward, not looking around, waiting for the end of detention.
c.       I will meet with all grade level for their input and survey all teachers on campus. As the implantation progresses input will be asked of all teachers and administrators to keep collaboration going and reach the best results.
d.      This will be implemented until the end of the year. I will be looking at data weekly to document patters but taking an overall look in the middle (about 6 weeks into implementation) and at the end (14 week overall program). I will take the summer to review documentation and come up with results and presentation for the beginning of the new school year with recommendations of how to proceed and any ways we can enhance the program to achieve better results.
e.      With data collections, surveys and personal observations I believe I have a sound means of monitoring the project.
f.        Determining the level of success will be with data of students assigned, number of repeat offenders all compared to previous and to initial start of implementation. Also, the results of surveys from teachers will help in determining if there is a correlation in the students’ behavior in the classroom and hallways.
g.       Revisions will be made as we go and intercept issues. Recommendations will be made to the Principal and Assistant Principal for improving the plan. Adjustments will be made as necessary to accommodate the highest level of results.
7.       Taking Action for School Improvement – A written summary of results will be done and a presentation with graphs and other visuals will be made to deliver the results to all stakeholders interested.
Sustain Improvement – A presentation will be ready for professional development with graphs and other visual aids to make understanding of the program and its effectiveness easy.

3 comments:

  1. Ginger, your 8 step plan looks great! I like how you broke it down with bullets. Good idea! I hope the district approves the sack lunches. A prior school that I taught at, used sack lunches as well. The students did not like it. I think that the sack lunches alone curbed the student detention numbers!

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  2. This is very detailed and well thought out. I think you did a great job of planning each step.

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  3. Steps are very well planned, organized, and detailed - looks to be an excellent plan! I know our campus does some sort of "alternate meal" that they must eat in a location that is set opposite of our actual cafeteria. I'm not sure if it's a sack lunch or what exactly but I have heard student comments about how they did not like it. As Pam pointed out, the lunch alone helped encourage better student choices and behavior in the future.

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