What is the teacher’s role in helping students set priorities in order to be more successful in academics?

Initial Study English Class of 21 Freshman Students Crawfordsville High School August 2004 – May 2005

Pulled-Apart Gingerbread Person Student Demands and Responsibilities August 2004 School work 19 Family 19 Peers 16 Jobs and Chores 15 Sports 11 Entertainment 11 May 2005 Peers 23 School work 15 Family 13 Jobs and Chores 7 Sports 7 Entertainment 6

Implications of Gingerbread Person Will students’ perceptions of their demands change as they move through high school? Will it be helpful to extend this research by following up with these students through high school? Do teachers sense a relationship between students’ demands and responsibilities and their performance on school work?

Student Questionnaire March 2005 Students’ Perceptions of High School 1.How do events and responsibilities outside school affect your work in your classes? 2.How have your teachers helped you adjust to high school? 3.How has this school been different for you compared to your eighth grade year? 4.How can teachers help you become more organized and focused on your school work? 5.What do you expect to do to become more successful in school?

How can teachers help you become more organized and focused? March 2005 Give less homework 3 Make sure students understand what is being taught 2 Make sure students have the right papers 2 Make sure students have all their materials 2 Make lessons more fun 2 Give more class time for homework 2 Provide time after school to help 2 Teachers can’t help; it’s up to the student 2 Teachers already take work too seriously

Implications of March Questionnaire Do teachers believe that they are responsible for helping students become more focused and organized? What strategies do teachers use to help students become more focused and organized?

Possible Next Steps Adapt and use “March Questionnaire” with teachers Ask for volunteers (same students, other CHS teachers, and others?) to continue the study with me, emphasizing that the goal is to help students succeed Examine student responses to “What do you expect to do to become more successful in school?” Create new activities to follow up with students and to help them with setting priorities Use information from teacher questionnaire to decide future direction and application of study

Focus Revised Question What am I doing to help students with organization? Are these strategies working?

Revisit Question from March 2005 How can teachers help you become more organized and focused? Some Reasonable Student Suggestions Make sure students have the right papers Make sure students have all their materials Provide time after school to help Have folders in each classroom to keep student work

Revised Question What strategies do I use now to help students become more focused and organized? Are these strategies helpful?

Classroom Management Strategies Start class with overview of day’s work End class with reminders of assignments Wire basket for turning in papers Boxes for turning in projects Student folders for returned work Class crates with returned work Extra copies of assignments on bulletin board Desks arranged in groups Weekly calendar on white board inside door Calendar on bulletin board White boards on easels for special notices

Technology-Related Strategies Laptop computer 24/7 Printer in classroom Shared folder for PowerPoint presentations Calendar in Angel Assignments available on Angel Hand in work through Angel Give PowerPoint presentations through Angel teacher through Angel

Other Strategies Reading Records Reading Bingo Sheets Guidelines for assignments Rubric for assignment when assignment first given Teacher available before school Teacher available after school

Organization Questionnaire See handout

Results of College Prep Seniors Questionnaires Most Helpful End-of-class reminders Printer in classroom Guidelines for assignments Rubric for assignment when given Wire basket for turn-in teacher through Angel Weekly white board calendar Assignments on Angel 24/7 Laptops Least Helpful Reading Bingo Sheet Student folders for returned work Boxes for turning in projects Start class with overview Reading Records

Results of Non-College Bound Senior Questionnaires Most Helpful End class with reminders Wire basket for turn in Extra copies on bulletin board Printer in class Weekly white board calendar Calendar on bulletin board Rubric when assignment given White board with special notices Guidelines for assignments Least Helpful 24/7 laptops Shared network folders for PowerPoint presentations Arrangement of desks in groups PowerPoint presentations through Angel Class crates with returned work Hand in work through Angel Reading Bingo Sheet

Results of Honors Sophomores Questionnaires Most Helpful White board with weekly calendar End-of-class reminders Printer in class Wire basket for turn in Guidelines for assignments Assignments on Angel Boxes for project turn-in teacher through Angel Least Helpful 24/7 laptops Student folders for returned work Class crates for returned work Start class with overview

Most Helpful Classroom Management Strategies End-of Class Reminders 3/3 Wire Basket for Turn In 3/3 Weekly Whiteboard Calendar 3/3

Most Helpful Other Strategies Guidelines for Assignments 3/3 Rubric When Assignment Given 2/3

Most Helpful Technology-Related Strategies Printer in Classroom 3/3 Assignments on Angel 2/3 Teacher Through Angel 2/3

Interesting Results The college prep seniors found the 24/7 laptops to be one of the most helpful organization strategies, while the honors sophomores and the non-college bound seniors found the 24/7 laptops to be one of the least helpful organization strategies. Starting class with an overview is considered one of the least helpful organization strategies for honors sophomores and non-college bound seniors, while good pedagogy seems to means giving an overview to be helpful. The returned paper system of student folders and class crates is considered one of the least helpful organization strategies by all three groups, but one of the most helpful for me.

Inferences The college prep seniors are anticipating using laptop computers in college soon and recognize their worth for organization. My use of the beginning-of-class overview has been ineffective as far as helping students organize themselves and their work. Students did not understand the paper return system and its purpose in helping them be better organized.

Action Plan Encourage 24/7 laptop program to continue with college prep seniors. Encourage continuation of Angel to help students be better organized and maintain better contact with teachers Improve my use of the beginning-of-class overview, perhaps in conjunction with whiteboard on easel Improve my explanation of the folder/crate system Encourage students to access their folders more frequently Continue white board weekly calendar Continue wire basket turn-in system Continue guidelines and accompanying rubrics with assignments

Evolution of My CBR Spring 2004 Developed question “ What is the teacher’s role in helping students set priorities in order to be more successful in academics?” Learned that I would be teaching a freshman English class in addition to my usual assignments of college prep seniors and honors sophomores Decided to focus on freshmen only for CBR

Evolution of My CBR Developed an art/writing project to illicit student responses related to the CBR (Gingerbread figure) Began concentrating on setting priorities in all aspects of their daily lives and helping them become better organized Helped students to identify their responsibilities, priorities, and effects of various influenced on their school work Recognized that the question was to broad Recognized that I could not do a follow-up on those specific students Changed to what the classroom teacher can do to help students become better organized, perhaps only in regard to technology

Evolution of My CBR Decided to set student organization as a high priority in all classes Decided not to focus just on technology- related strategies