Reflection

What did I learn because of action research?

I have learned so much from action research this year. I was able to research different strategies to use in a first grade classroom and determine which strategies were the best fit for my students. Research also helped me recognize who I could reach out to for guidance and assistance. I collaborated with the enrichment teacher, grade level teammates, grade level teachers from other schools, and the Title 1 teacher. Action research has also given me a better understanding of how to use data to drive my instruction.

How did that impact my teaching?

After researching, I changed how I was teaching math in my classroom. I implemented a Guided Math Workshop into my classroom, which allowed me to differentiate to meet the needs of all learners through the use of performance groups. The Guided Math Workshop also allowed my students to engage in additional practice with peers and individually through games or worksheets. This action research project has helped my students' growth, engagement, and accountability. Because of this, it has made me feel more confident in my teaching by knowing that what I was doing was helping my students increase their math knowledge and enjoy math more.

How did research impact my growth as a professional?

This action research project has helped me grow tremendously in such a short window of time. I grew as a professional in the area of differentiation. I felt like I had learned how to meet the needs of my below level and on-level students, but I did not have enough resources to challenge my above level students. My findings gave me different strategies to use that would meet the needs of all learners.

What were the challenges and successes?

Although I have loved the Guided Math Workshop, and I plan to use it in my classroom again next year, there have been some challenges with a few different aspects. The biggest challenge I faced was finding games, worksheets, and activities that were challenging enough for my above level learners. Oftentimes the above level learners would finish their work in a few minutes and would then be bored the rest of that rotation. On the other hand, I was challenged with finding games, worksheets, and activities for my below level learners. I had a difficult time finding the right amount of work for the below level students. I found that I was either giving them too much or too little, but never the perfect amount.

Another challenge I faced was finding a definitive amount of time to meet with each group. I struggled with keeping my below level students for a long amount of time because they needed the extra support. This caused me to have a very short time with my above level students, or I would sacrifice meeting with them on certain days. Next year, I plan to meet with my below-level group and on-level group every day. I will meet with my above level group three times a week to ensure that they are understanding the skills and being challenged with skills as well.

When implementing something new there will always be challenges, but there will also be some successes along the way too. One success I had when implementing the Guided Math Workshop was finding differentiated materials for my students. I felt as if my students were receiving materials that were challenging, but each student could complete the task at their independent level. Another success I had when implementing the Guided Math Workshop was student accountability. I could see that students were taking over the learning and becoming more independent within the learning process. I used a type of "to do" list within the math boxes to guide the students through what I wanted to be completed. By doing this, the students knew the expectations and did not need help from me.

How will research impact my future teaching?

Teaching is a profession in which best practices are constantly changing. This action research project has helped me realize the pace that change happens and the importance it has to the teaching world. Students' needs change with each class and we must adapt to meet those needs. In future years, I hope to continue to challenge myself beyond my comfort zone and find a way to ensure that I am doing everything I can to help my students be successful.

How did I collaborate with other professionals to improve student learning?

Throughout the action research project, I collaborated with numerous other professionals to help improve student learning. I collaborated with the enrichment teacher to find resources that would challenge my above level students. The Title 1 teacher and I collaborated to find specific strategies and resources that would best help my below level learners understand specific skills. My grade level teammates and I collaborated by sharing resources and different teaching methods to best portray the skill to students. I collaborated with first grade teachers within the district to discuss organization, management, engagement, and activities to use in a Guided Math Workshop. By collaborating with so many other professionals, I have gained tools to put in my tool box that will help me improve my Guided Math Workshop each year.