After working on this blog, reviewing my research question, watching the Action Research videos from last semester, and getting myself organized to begin my research I have one overwhelming feeling...I am nervous! The nerves are coming more from the actual organization of the data and how I am going to keep up with everything I find while working with my students. Throughout discussions in our class I know that I will have lots of data and information, so I want to find a good way for me to keep everything organized, as well as a good system to go through the information I find. Coding is the word that I keep thinking about...what trends will I find? Will these methods work?
Even with the nervousness, I am also very excited! I can't wait to try new methods of sight word instruction with my focal group of students. This year has proven to be a difficult year for sight word retention in my class as a whole. I want to try new strategies to see if my students can begin to retain sight words, and in turn become better readers. I cannot wait to see their growth!
After making my project timeline, I am more clear on when each part of this project will occur. I will use individual data journals and data summaries as a way to monitor student progress, keep track of trends, ask questions, and make changes throughout the study. I will need to create these journals using notebooks and binders so I can put information from day to day in them, which will make reviewing information from the week much easier. Field notes will also be kept in the same binder for each student or the small group as a whole.
I am really excited to read about the data you collect and even the activities you use. Our action plans are very similiar. I will mostly be working with sight words, but also looking at phonics and reading comprehension. You seem very organized. That is on my list to do! :) Hope your data collection is going smoothly.
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