Discussion: What is action research? Why is it needed? What’s the big deal?

Action research is... -Systematic inquiry conducted by teachers and other educators to find solutions for critical, challenging, relevant issues in their classrooms and schools. Positively impact student outcomes Identify and promote effective instructional practices Create opportunities for teachers to become reflective practitioners Share research results with other educators Mills, Geoffrey E, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 2014

Think-Pair-Share-Post What are some of the problems teachers of secondary students face?

Reading Stinks! Reversing Reading Negativity in the High School Classroom

Every teacher’s dilemma… -Middle and High school students have negative attitudes toward reading. -Most automatically assume they are poor readers because of their lack of interest. -When reading is assigned, they either do not complete it or use an online resource like Sparknotes.

The root of the issue... -Only teaching the classics. -Choosing texts that 21st century students cannot relate to. -Reading books we love instead of the books students need

The solution… Young adult fiction in the form of author studies

What the research shows… -Author studies promote classroom community and discussion (Fox, 2006) -Small group reading encourages ownership over a text (Adams and Bushman, 2006) -Promotes group interdependence as well as individual responsibility (O-Brien, 2007) -Learning is a direct result of social interaction, (Vtgotsky, 1978)

What the research shows (con’t).... -Improved student-teacher relationships, classroom discussions and an appreciation for reading (Piper, Wold and Schwingendor, 2014) -Themes and issues speak directly to their experiences (Mitchell, 2001).

The texts we teach should… -Relate to our students -Cover themes that are relevant to the 21 st century -Promote engaged discussion -Encourage relationship building

Owocki and Goodman: Get to know your students “Learning about children’s social and cultural experiences gives insights into their ways of speaking, knowing and thinking” (Owocki 17). -Student/Parent Surveys -Spending time with students one-on-one and in small groups “Children learn best when language and experiences are meaningful to them. (Owocki 21)” -Keywords -Books relevant to their culture, age, and other sub-groups “Learning in school is purposeful and meaningful when children find the curriculum relevant to their personal and social worlds (Owocki 22)”

Step 1: Get to know your students -Pre-reading Survey -KeyWords -KidWatching

Keywords -5 minute journaling time where students can write whatever they want. -Samples -Why? If you do not know your students, you cannot suggest books, choose class texts that will interest them or engage them in discussion

Step 2: Choose an Author -Choose a young adult author with at least three novels. -Must have easy access to novels -It is helpful to choose an author with an informative website. -Students explore the author and get to know more about his or her life to later make connections to the text and the author’s own adolescence.

Possible Authors Jenny HanLaurie Halse Anderson Lauren OliverDavid Levithan John GreenJay Asher Matt de La PenaSarah Dessen Chris Crutcher

Step 3: Start Reading -Students spend the first 2-3 weeks reading the first novel as a whole class. Read aloud, read to self in class, read to self at home (if number of books allows). -Complete corresponding packet to explore the protagonist, recurring themes, author’s purpose and character development. -Socratic seminar style discussion to close out first novel -Students write an essay on one particular theme or character; leave the essay topic up to the student.

Step 4: Small group novels -Allow students to choose a second novel (from the same author) that they are interest in. -Students should develop a calendar with the people in their small group to coordinate their reading. -Students work with their group of 3-4 to read the second novel and to complete corresponding study (2 weeks) -Socratic seminar to discuss the author’s particular purposes and choices that show up across texts.

Step 5: Author Analysis -Students work as a class to determine what makes the author particularly successful and popular within the young adult community. -Students discuss in small and large groups and fill out corresponding venn diagram and author chart.

Step 5: Author Analysis (con’t) -Final essays: Students work to write an argumentative essay describing why the author and his/her books should be taught in the high school classroom.

My 10th grade classroom experience... -A 6-week study of 27, 10th grade students. -Whole class novel: John Green’s Lookingfor Alaska(weeks1-3) -Small group novel: PaperTowns,Will Grayson,Will Grayson, or An Abundance of Katherines (weeks 3-4) -Film Study: The Fault in Our Stars (week 5) -Analysis and concluding seminars (week 6)

Findings…

Improved student-teacher and student-student relationships -Discussions taught students and teacher more about one another -Students had a place to talk about issues that are normally not discussed in class -Teacher and students were more engaged

More engaged discussions -From the first discussion to the 2 nd discussion student contributions increased by an average of 2.5 percent

Promoted positive reading attitudes -Students asking for books -Excitement over starting/ending books -More willing to share in small and large groups about what they are reading

Improvements in analytical and critical writing -Students made more impactful writing choices -Essay samples in packet -Allow for student choice in reading and writing -More personal connections to texts, lead to more personal writing engagements

Other ways to incorporate relevant texts: 1.Contemporary songs for poetry analysis 2.Book speed date 3.Current events for non-fiction 4.SSR where students choose their own texts 5.Classroom libraries