Transcript Science and Math Methods, Action Research

Engaging Faculty and
Preservice Teacher Candidates
in a PDS Action Research
Program
David Henry, Buffalo State College
Contact: [email protected]
Robyn Ruiz, graduate student, Buffalo State College
Courtney Hammond, graduate student, Buffalo State College
Kelly Pershyn, 6th grade teacher, William Street School,
Ami Cole, 4th grade teacher, William Street School
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• The William Street School/Buffalo State College PDS is a
flourishing partnership hinging on the roles played by college
and school faculty and teacher candidates. Our PDS
partnership has two main components: (1) An elementary
science and math methods course taught on-site and (2)
student teaching cohorts. The administrative support has
been critical in sustaining this partnership. This year, we
have been focusing on an action research component. Dr.
Henry works at William Street School (WSS) two days every
week teaching teacher candidates in a math/science methods
and field experience course, supervising the practicum and
partnering with teachers and teacher candidates in
developing effective science instruction.
Buffalo State College
Professional Development
School Consortium
www.buffalostate.edu/pds
• 2011 NAPDS Award for Exemplary Professional
Development School Achievement
• 700 childhood, early childhood and combined teacher
candidates
• 300 childhood/special education teacher candidates
• 40 Masters with Initial Certification teacher candidates
• 25 Literacy Specialists
Buffalo State PDS Consortium
School Sites
• 22 PDS sites for ELA, Science &
Math, and EC methods courses
• 25+ sites for student teaching
cohorts
• 1 site for the Literacy Specialist
program
Masters Including Initial Teaching
Certification (MIITC)
• 5-12 students in each cohort
• 60 credit, 4 semester program
• Semester 2: ELA Methods
– Urban PDS, two days/week
– Action Research Project
• Semester 3: Science and Math methods
– Suburban PDS, two days/week
– Action Research Project
• Semester 4: Student Teaching
– Two placements, one urban, one Suburban
– Action Research Masters Project
Buffalo State PDS Consortium
Governance
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Shared Decision Making
Advisory Council & By-Laws
Liaison Committees
Signed Agreements
Buffalo State PDS Consortium
Activities
• 4 whole consortium
meetings each year
• Fall Annual retreat for
professional development
and presentations
• Action Research minigrants
• Additional Professional
Development opportunities
William Street School
PDS Partnership
Herman
Badillo
Bilingual
Academy
• PDS Methods Courses
– 12-16 students
– Meets twice a week for a total of 8 hours
– Each student is placed in a classroom for about 8 weeks, most
students spend at least 12 hours/week in the classroom
Action Research in Teaching
Methods Courses
Action research can be defined
many ways*. Most definitions
include four basic themes:
empowerment of participants,
collaboration through
participation, acquisition of
knowledge, and social change.
Our students’ are action research
novices and may conduct the
research in the context of a larger,
long term school study. We are
loosely guided by movement
through five phases of inquiry:
*ACTION RESEARCH by Eileen Ferrance
Northeast and Islands Regional Educational
Laboratory At Brown University
Identification of
problem area
Collection and
organization
of data
Next
Steps
Interpretation
of data
Evaluate
Actions
Action based
on data
Action Research Goals
A significant component of our PDS
partnerships is collaboration in action
research with the School partners. The
Buffalo State faculty and the School
leaders set the focus of the research.
Action Research Procedure
• Form Teams (Usually multiple grade levels)
• Review the Literature
– Some assigned readings, some student searching
– Writing a literature review (Collaborative?)
• Obtaining or designing appropriate measures
– Most important, but most difficult step
– Much faculty guidance
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Assess students
Forming Action Steps
Multiple
Assessment
Semesters
Reflection, Dissemination
Benefits and results of the WSSPDS partnership
• PDS Action research projects
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Grade 6: Respiratory System
Grade 6: Gender difference in teaching and learning mathematics
Grade 5: Magnetism and Energy
Grade 5: Electric circuits
Grade 5: Teaching about the Sun, Earth and Moon
Grade 4: Static Electricity and Magnetism
Examples of Action Research:
Completed Projects
These are projects where the cycle has been completed and
curriculum changes have been instituted.
– Static Electricity and Magnetism (2 years)
– Electricity and Energy (8 years)
– Sun , Earth and Moon (5 years)
Examples of Action Research:
On-going Projects
• Fall 2010 (Science Focus)
– Photosynthesis
– Adaptation and Evolution
– Alternative Energy and Global Warming
• Spring 2011 (Math Focus)
– Fractions
– Math Fluency (Math Facts)
• Fall 2011
– Math Fluency, RTI- Modified Level III intervention
• Spring 2012 (New PDS School)
– Math Fluency (starting the cycle!)
Closer look at the Sun, Earth and Moon
– Fall 2003:
• Grade 5 teachers find out that they are responsible for teaching about the Sun, Earth
and Moon.
• Science Methods student works with D. Henry and teacher to develop two lessons for
this unit
– Spring 2004:
• D. Henry trains science methods students in teaching new lessons
• Several Science Methods students teach the lessons that were developed
– Fall 2005:
• Student teacher from Spring methods course completes the Sun, Earth & Moon unit
• Methods students continue to teach selected lessons
– Fall 2006:
• Student teacher who developed unit gets hired to teach grade 5, does action research
on this unit for her masters project.
• Methods students continue to teach selected lessons
– Summer 2007:
• D. Henry does workshop for all WSS grade 5 teachers on Sun, Earth, Moon unit
Closer look at the Sun, Earth and Moon
– Fall 2003:
• Grade 5 teachers find out that they are responsible for teaching about the Sun, Earth
and Moon.
• Science Methods student works with D. Henry and teacher to develop two lessons for
this unit
– Spring 2004:
• D. Henry trains science methods students in teaching new lessons
• Several Science Methods students teach the lessons that were developed
– Fall 2005:
• Student teacher from Spring methods course completes the Sun, Earth & Moon unit
• Methods students continue to teach selected lessons
– Fall 2006:
• Student teacher who developed unit gets hired to teach grade 5, does action research
on this unit for her masters project.
• Methods students continue to teach selected lessons
– Summer 2007:
• D. Henry does workshop for all WSS grade 5 teachers on Sun, Earth, Moon unit
Benefits and results of the WSSPDS partnership
• Science Curriculum Unit Development
– Several science units have been developed as part of our PDS
partnership
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Electricity and Energy (grade 4)
Static Electricity and Magnetism (grade 4)
Sun , Earth and Moon (grade 5)
Magnets and Motors (grade 5)
Alternative Energy and Global Warming (Grade 6)
Benefits of action research in
methods courses
Faculty/teacher research
– Three current and several future publications have come out of
the WSS-BSC PDS partnership
• Naab, L and Henry, D. (In press, 2008) Investigating Static Electricity.
Science and Children
• Murray, R., Grande, M, DiCamillo, L., Henry, D. & Henry, J. (2008). The
annotated unit: A systematic approach to documenting candidate
effectiveness in facilitating P-12 student learning. Action in Teacher
Education.
• Henry, D., Henry J., Riddoch, S. (2006) Whiteboarding Your Way to Great
Student Discussions. Science Scope, 30(4).
Helping curriculum alignment (communication)
– D. Henry currently sits on the WSS science curriculum
committee. This committee is charged with developing a
curriculum map for grades 4-6.
Challenges