Place, Participants, and Practitioner

1.) Writing about your study context

Saint Raphael Academy is a Diocesan college preparatory school which teaches its students the Christian values of service and faith. Saint Raphael Academy offers a collegiate-style campus which is located in the historic Quality Hill neighborhood of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The school is comprised of seven primary buildings that are within walking distance from one another.  While driving down Walcott Street, visitors will notice that most of the buildings have a “antique” look on the outside. The majority of the buildings feature copper colored bricks. The structures of the buildings are mostly original, while the inside of the buildings have been renovated. The main buildings that students hold the majority of classes in are East and West. These buildings are located four blocks from each other on Walcott Street. Colorful flowers, large trees, and small gardens are scattered around the building to give it a “welcoming” feel. During passing time, students have six minutes to travel between buildings. The inside of these buildings have been improved to include up-to-date technology and improved appearances. Each room in West offers Smart Boards and new desks, while the rooms in East offer spacious classrooms with projectors and an overall “clean” appearance. The walls feature fresh paints and large windows to offer natural lightning.

I teach on the first floor of the East building. When entering room 14, you will notice the teacher saying “hello” to students as they enter the classroom. Once you are inside, you will notice that the room is spacious. There are high ceilings and two large windows at the front of the room. There are 30 desks that are facing the front of the room. Each row features three desks pushed closely together which creates an open path in the center of the room.  This allows the teacher to pace up and down the room between all the rows and it allows students to easily travel throughout the room. The desks are clean and smooth, and the chairs are not attached, which allows ultra comfort. There is a colorful bookshelf at the back of the room with includes a variety of texts for independent reading. There is hanging decor, including multi-colored paper flowers that hang from the doorways. A rainbow “welcome” sign hangs from the whiteboard. The letters are velvet and are soft to the touch.

 

The room is decorated with colorful backdrops and posters that are all related to English and life-advice. For example, there are several posters that state the different types of English genres and literary terms. There is a large blue poster that states, “Learn something new today” which hangs in the front of the room. The bright, vibrant colors throughout the room adds an energy to the room. Without these decorations, the room would just be gray with empty cork boards. The bulletin boards are plastered with student work. Hand-drawn footprints that feature life advice hang from the corners of the corkboard. Photos of former students are posted around the room.The teacher’s desk is located in the front of the room and there is a mounted projector which connects to the laptop on the desk. There is a Smartboard at the center of the room and a whiteboard on the right side of the room. The Do Now is posted on the whiteboard and the Smartboard is utilized during class activities.

 

Overall, the room encourages learning and discovery. The spaciousness, natural lightening, and bright colors offer a positive energy. The air freshener helps the room smell like fresh lilac. The radiator provides enough heat in the winter to allow everyone to feel comfortable and ready to learn.

 

2.) Describing the participants

Saint Raphael Academy currently consists of 450 students enrolled, with an average of 112 students per grade. I currently teach four sections of 10th grade and one section of 9th grade. For this research study, I will focus on one of my 10th grade classes that meets during F block. This class is “Advanced College Preparatory. The class consists of 22 students who are between the ages of 15 - 17. There are 12 females in this class and 10 males. The class is diverse and features students from Asian, African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian backgrounds. Out of the 22 students, 16 of the students have made honor roll this year. Additionally, only one student is in danger of failing for the year. Compared to my other classes, this class is usually energetic and engaged throughout our time together. There are always students who are eager to share their work and to volunteer answers during discussion. Additionally, there is a sense of community within this classroom. The students are friendly with one another and many are good friends outside of school.

 

In this class, the majority of students are involved in an organization after school. Most of the students play sports and those who do not are in others clubs, such as the recycling club or art club. This class is unique to me because there are several “strong” personalities within the room. There are many students who are outgoing and enjoy voicing their opinions, so this can make it easy to have energy within the room during discussions or debates. The negative that comes along with this dynamic is that I find myself trying to quiet the class down since so many students within the class prefer to contribute during discussions. Sometimes they get so into the conversations that they will respond or shout out their opinions without waiting to be called on.

 

When we work in groups during class, I often carefully select the groups. I do not usually allow the students to pick their own partners because of the “friendliness” of the students within this class. There are several students who will get distracted easily if they are allowed to work with their friends. I have applied this same logic when creating assigned seats. I have found that certain students cannot sit near their friends or else they will try to spend more time socializing then working. Overall, even with these small issues, this class often features a positive learning environment.

3.) Describing your role as the teacher

As an educator, I realize that I have an obligation to protect my students. This includes protecting their identities during my research study. When I write about my students, I will use pseudonyms to avoid revealing a student’s real name. In preparation, I will take out my class roster and create a new name for each student. This will allow me to use the same assigned name each time I mention this student without revealing his / her identity. The pseudonyms will be random and they will not have any similarities to a student’s real name.

 I have developed relationships with my students, which might make it difficult for me to be unbiased when I conduct my research study. However, I will do everything in my power to ensure I am fairly assessing each scenario For example, when I grade, I will try to avoid looking at the name of the student to ensure that I am not assessing the work based on what I know about the individual. Secondly, I will not lead or prompt a student into responding correctly during a discussion or assignment. I will try to treat students fairly, but equally when I am conducting the research. I will try to make my expectations clear to students so that I will not need to aid them or help them complete a task that could interfere with the research data.

 

I see many opportunities ahead during my role as an observer. A focused observation can help me monitor specific responses from students, such as engagement level, peer interactions, critical-thinking skills, etc. By focusing on these observations, my data can help me improve my teaching. For example, if I were to notice that students responded well to a specific teaching strategy or task, this could positively influence my role as a teacher. The data can help influence my teaching to reach the needs of the students. As educators, it is difficult to focus on or analyze these everyday interactions since we have so many other responsibilities. This research opportunity is a great way for me to take the time to notice the small daily encounters which can lead me to great discoveries.

 

Scholary Research Analysis Protocol

Describe the academic structure of the article:

How do you know this is an academic article?  Create a bulleted list of 5-8 structural features that separate this article from a popular culture article.  

• There is an abstract which summarizes the content of the article
• There is an introduction which explains why the article is relevant
• There is a literature review which summarizes the research that has been done on this topic in the past
• The discussion section explains the result of the research and the meaning of the article’s results
• There is a reference section which includes 26 credible sources

Identify the specialized vocabulary:

Jargon is the specialized vocabulary of a particular subject area.  Create a bulleted list of 5-8 items of jargon that are used in this text. Define each in your own words

• Literacy- Fluent readers and writers, including skills such as comprehension, decoding, predicting, etc.
• Best Practices - Teaching by using research supported strategies
• Differentiated- Teach with modifications so that you can reach all learners
• Implementation- Adjusting your plans and modifying instruction as needed
• Efficacious - Teacher efficacy is teaching students effectively so that they reach learning goals

Cull out the argument statement:

In an academic article, the main idea statement is called an argument statement.  What is the argument statement of this text?  Copy and paste the author’s argument statement, using correct APA citation form and framing them with quotation marks.

“Teachers need explicit, direct instruction in literacy, and opportunities to work collaboratively with peers to implement evidence-based strategies” (Baird, Jackson, Veenstra, Sadek, & Thibault, 2016).

Pinpoint statements of support:

What are five statements that the author uses to support her/ his argument statement? Include only direct excerpts, using correct APA citation form and framing them with quotation marks.

“Teacher collaboration and co-teaching are effective means of refining literacy instruction (Fenty & McDuffy, 2012). Teachers can help develop high-quality instruction that reaches the needs of all learners by providing struggling readers with literacy support in the classroom and by collaboratively planning lessons”  (Baird, Jackson, Veenstra, Sadek, & Thibault, 2016).

“Learning coaches and collaboration help provide teachers with effective skills and strategies to improve their instructional practice across all grades and content areas”  (Baird, Jackson, Veenstra, Sadek, & Thibault, 2016).

“Our findings suggest that professional development and collaborative learning communities are keys to building teacher efficacy”  (Baird, Jackson, Veenstra, Sadek, & Thibault, 2016).

“Researchers concur that evidence-based, high-quality classroom instruction is key to helping students develop literacy skills”  (Baird, Jackson, Veenstra, Sadek, & Thibault, 2016).

“Intensive, structured, whole-class reading instruction plays a key role in the development of student literacy skills (Savage, 2006)”  (Baird, Jackson, Veenstra, Sadek, & Thibault, 2016).

Indicate value statements:

Each author approaches a topic with a particular set of values or views. After completing your reading, make a list of 3 values or views that they author represented in the text. Offer 1-2 sentences of explanation for each value statement.

1. “The ultimate goal is to help students become literate, contributing members of society, so it is the responsibility of teachers to ensure all students maximize their potential”   (Baird, Jackson, Veenstra, Sadek, & Thibault, 2016).

In other words, the authors strongly believes that teachers are an important part of helping students become functioning members of society. It is the responsibility of the teacher to  reach all learners and prepare them for successful futures.

2.) “Research has been completed on specific interventions struggling readers receive. However, more comparisons are necessary, and we strongly believe a meta-analysis of the research on reading interventions would provide conclusive strategies for implementation” (Baird, Jackson, Veenstra, Sadek, & Thibault, 2016).

The authors feel that this topic still needs more attention in order to find the best way to increase literacy in all students. The authors feel unsure still about the effectiveness of pull-out reading intervention versus inclusion.

3.) “Effective literacy instruction involves engaging students in authentic literacy experiences to develop essential literacy skills” (Baird, Jackson, Veenstra, Sadek, & Thibault, 2016).

The authors believe that the best way to teach literacy is to make sure it is taught authentically. Strategies such as comprehension skills should be implemented during literacy instruction. These skills cannot be taught simply from workbooks.

Memo #1 Writing from a different point of view

 

Classroom Setup

Upon entering room 14, I am greeted at the door by my English teacher. She stands at the door during passing time and exchanges a greeting to each student. “Good afternoon Hailey! Welcome to class.” Once inside the room, it is apparent that our classroom is spacious and colorful. The walls are decorated with bright banners and posters that relate to the English language. Our work is displayed on several bulletin boards. I see my flyer hanging in the back, which I created to help save “Old Ironsides,” a heroic warship from the War of 1812 that faced demolition for scrap metal. It’s a nice reminder that my work has a purpose.

The desks are set up in rows with a center path in the room. The teacher’s desk is in the right corner at the front of the room facing our desks. The room configuration reinforces the notion that the teacher holds the power in the classroom. The room set up is “traditional” and it allows the teacher to move around the room easily. The teacher can easily stand in the back of the classroom and get a clear view of our laptops. When the teacher circulates the room, we stay on task because of the powerful presence of the teacher. We are aware that our screens are in view, so we are sure to stay on task, at least until the she (our teacher) returns to her desk. If it was up to me, I think I would prefer sitting in groups. This would allow me to face my classmates, since half the room is hidden by the large beam in the center of the room. Also, the configuration of the room could improve by spacing out the desks so that we have more space during learning. Currently, the desks in each row are touching each other, which is uncomfortable for the classmate who must sit in the middle.

 

Overall, I do feel a bond with my teacher. I like that she tries to speak to me at least once a day. Also, the classroom itself is warm and welcoming, but I notice that it lacks photos of positive role models. The classroom décor could improve by including images of positive role models for all of us students to relate to (writers of color, women, gay / lesbian, etc.) Since I am a woman of color, it would be nice to have an inspirational writer displayed in the room, such as Zora Neale Hurston or Maya Angelou. In other words, the classroom should function as “windows and mirrors” so that all students feel represented and welcomed. 

Curriculum

In our sophomore English classroom, our teacher explores a variety of genres, including short stories, poems, dramas, and novels. From my experience this far within this classroom, it is clear that the majority of the authors are Caucasian. I find this strange since SRA is a diverse school. It would make sense to have some White authors to fit the population, but the class does not read texts from any Hispanic authors even though they make up a good portion of the student body. Within the curriculum, there is only one Asian writer taught. There are a few African American authors, such as Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, and Mark Mathabane. A constructive criticism for this classroom is to have more female authors and authors of color so that all of us students have a chance to see ourselves more in the curriculum, regardless of our race and/ or gender.

 

Praxis

In this English classroom, we commonly journal at the start of the period. These journals often relate to current events or they are based on our opinions on a given subject. These journals give us a chance to feel invested in the curriculum. Giving us a chance to express our personal views and experiences helps us establish “windows and mirrors” in the classroom. These journals also allow us to share our responses with a neighbor and/ or with the class. These sharing activities help to establish community in the classroom. This is how I have met two of my new friends this year.

Our teacher often tries to give us opportunities for collaboration. She could improve her teaching by implementing more cooperative learning grouping and less “group work.” There have been assignments that have enabled some students to relax while one or two students within the group completed the bulk of the work. This happened to me during our last group assignment. Me and my friend did all the work while two other group members just sat back and goofed off. Designing more lessons that hold us all accountable will ensure a positive experience for all of us without anyone feeling obligated to do the work for another classmate.

Throughout the year, the teacher often assigns reading for homework. With the exception of the poetry unit, we are usually expected to complete reading homework 2-4 nights weekly. This assigned reading is based on the book that we are reading together as a class.  The teacher selects this book. When we have complete the assigned reading, we must answer 10 questions per chapter that accompany the reading. Most of these questions are “knowledge based” (Bloom’s Taxonomy) or in other words, questions with obvious answers. Many of my classmates have been penalized by the administration for copying their friend’s work. This homework format is meant to hold us accountable for the reading, but it has resulted in many students simply using their friends to find the answers.

 

Going forward, another form of reading assessment could be more thought-provoking while holding us accountable for the reading. Answering questions can be really boring and just feel like busy work. Perhaps “diary entries” from the point of view of a character could ensure originality while allowing us to critically consider another character’s perspective. Another suggestion would be for us to utilize our technology by setting up blogs. We could post our entries on a blogger account and then our classmates could read and comment. This would also help us model writing for one another. Additionally, encouraging independent reading or even book groups could help give us a choice in what they read, instead of just focusing on one novel in the classroom.

 

Final Thoughts

Overall, the classroom climate could improve if the teacher can incorporate additional opportunities for voice and choice in the classroom. The classroom space can also be configured to ensure that we feel comfortable and empowered.