Layered Analysis #1
Part 1:
The two questions posed by Mary Elizabeth in this inquiry are;
1.In what ways do participants generate and use documentation to facilitate professional learning?
2. As participants share their documentation with the inquiry group and engage in dialogue, what indicates shifts in thinking about teaching and learning?
- Learning from each other- these teachers are looking at how they have learned from each other over the past year through shared experiences and new insights.
- coded with a star
- Technology- technology played a role in these new learning experiences for each teacher, especially those given new tech never used before
- coded with yellow
- Styles of teaching- each teacher influenced another to teach in a new style jut by talking about their own style and showing examples of how they teach and how their students work
- coded with green
- Teaching on an island- each teacher felt isolated in their “department” during staff development days
- coded with pink
- Uncertainty/Questioning- each teacher has uncertainty about new processes, and used that uncertainty to ask questions and be validated by one another during this session.
- coded by circling
Layer 2:
Rachel, Jason, Abigail, Emma, and Ann talk all seem to agree that this interaction is more effective than any college course they ever have taken. They agree that the use of the technologies afforded by the AETI program have lead to new interactions in their classrooms, and they have all learned from each other despite being isolated in their own school settings. As Mary Elizabeth asks questions, and facilitates dialogue, it becomes clear that each teacher has their own doubts and insecurities about their own teaching methods, and their changes being made in their classrooms.
Everyone seems to have gotten a huge amount of creative juice from each other in terms of lesson planning, and teaching methods. Talking with this group gave each participant a new lens to look through into their own classroom. The technology gave them new practices to try, and their colleagues gave them new ideas to try.
Layer 3:
All of this data; “We were always sharing and then taking ideas and moving along with them, “This arts focus is unique thing for me”, is showing that the teachers’ thinking is shifting based on the ideas of others and the collaborative work they are doing. As they present their work and question each other on processes- they learn how to revamp their methods and make a better classroom experience.
Through collaboration, these teachers are making a better curriculum for themselves, therefore adding more value to this process of AETI.
Layer 4:
Mary Elizabeth posed two main questions;
- In what ways do participants generate and use documentation to facilitate professional learning?
2. As participant’s share their documentation with the inquiry group and engage in dialogue, what indicates shifts in thinking about teaching and learning?
This inquiry really shows the value of art teachers being together for professional development. This group got so much out of sharing data and documentation together. What if all PDE hours for art teachers were in this format? What if state laws were changed for special subject teachers to allow for professional development to actually be meaningful for us? Inquiries like this could lead to change that could actually help art and music educators to feel some positive benefits from these days seemed to be designed around the rest of the school population.
Layered Analysis #2
Part 1:
The central question I have chosen to focus on for this analysis is going back to my research in blog 2:
How can I change my current STEM school into a STEAM school using research, collaboration with current STEM teacher, and changes in curriculum and schedule?
Layer 1:
As I go back through my research, the common themes that I am seeing are:
- Collaboration- working with other teachers on current lessons that can be threaded into art curriculum
- coded with a star
- Organization-remaining on top of what each class is working on in regular subjects
- coded with a circle
- Scheduling-how does scheduling fit into this puzzle?
- coded with pink
- Why STEAM works for our school- research to back up my claims to admin
- coded in green
Layer 2:
This data collected together shows me that this task is all up to me. The only person in my school who is benefiting from this change is myself, and the only one who is making this change is myself.
The layer of organization/collaboration is important because I have to stay on top of what seven grades are learning at all times, to incorporate those lessons into the art curriculum. If I am successful at changing my school to a STEAM learning environment, there will be a lot more planning to do on my part, and I will have to work closely with homeroom teachers to stay organized.
“Provide Time for Teachers to Collaborate: Any type of integration requires planning time in order to be effective. Please give teachers as much time as you can to collaborate so your STEAM efforts can be successful.”
In an article I read it said “Change is very difficult for teachers because we already have so much on our plates. If you are going to start this process, however, you need willing participants. Begin looking for others who have the same excitement you do for STEAM education.” I have to find this in my school.
If my schedule changes (15 days in a row instead of once a week) that will greatly change the work load that the students can accomplish. I will have to plan accordingly for that change if it happens. In my own notes, I wrote “less reviewing each class, more on task creating” I would hope that would be the case for a 15 day cycle.
My last topic of concern is administration. I work in a huge elementary center, and admin really doesn’t bother with me much. We wave to each other in the halls. I’m not exactly sure how to talk to them about this when I don’t have a solid plan in place to make changes.
Layer 3:
How is this plan going to turn into action, what are the next steps to move forward? That is my next plan for research and thinking through this project. I would love to talk to someone who has done this before in their school. I have to consider administration in this plan, and their role in decision making. They will be vital in changing things like my schedule, which I have no control over.
Layer 4:
The major theme I see here in all of this is that I have a ton more work to do, and I don’t really know where to start. Perhaps reaching out to someone who has done this before can be a vital first step, as well as doing more research as to the actual ACTION part of this action research plan. So far, I have some research, but I have no action, and I have no plan, those both need to be worked on quite a bit. This quote seems like a good place to start:
“Their approach is not more classes, more arts or music, more anything. That would be nice but, frankly, there is not money for doing anything more, only doing things differently. Again, the secret is using the arts as a catalyst for teaching across the curriculum.” (Eger)
I have no more time in the day or in my schedule, so I cannot do more, rather I have to do things differently. I can change my curriculum to better suit the needs of the STEAM ideas, but it is going to take a lot of change, and a lot of collaboration.
“Get ready folks, the key to unlocking the real potential for (the common core) is ultimately through an arts integration approach. (I feel your pain!). For all those who think arts integration doesn’t work, try again. For all those who think it demeans the arts, try again. For all those who think that the arts in on their own are going to transfer to what students need to know and be able to do in the Common Core State Standards, try again.” (Eger)
References:
@creativityassoc: (2014) 7 Ways to Turn STEM into STEAM. George Lucas Educational Foundation. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/groups/stem-education/777181
Eger, John. (2014) The Common Core as a Path to STEAM. Huffpost. Retrieved from: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-common-core-as-a-path_b_5193594?guccounter=1