Introduction: I am interested in this research question as it pertains to the students I'm currently working with. I am also interested in finding/building on existing research on this topic in education, marginalized learning, institutions and communities. I think of this work as being a positive experience and allowing myself to learn more about the students and teachers in the school where I work. Whereas, I find teaching and learning with marginalized students rewarding and gratifying. I'm interested in taking this journey to discover where and if i will be able to develop the question and find satisfying results. 

 

Question: How can I build a rigorous learning community with students from marginalized communities/homes?  I think studying this issue marginalized community and its learners can better inform me as well as other teachers. Helping teacher to better skilled to teach and support students that fit into the marginalized category. Building learning communities are challenging, working with students who qualify for Title 1 funding. This is when schools receive federal funding for programs that support student learning from low-income families.

This is a challenging task, however, it could better support student’s growth, academically and socially. Meaning supporting students to be “alert to racial prejudice and discrimination” (Woke). Their personal awareness of societal facts, and issues such as, inequalities, racial and social justice.

   

Sub – question: How can I build a rigorous community where marginalized students are motivated to become self-learners, and develop social awareness?

 

 

Participants: I would select the participants through current students I’m teaching. I can interview the administration, teachers, parents, and other support staff that work with the students I teach. Such as, social workers, counselor, SPED teachers, and special teachers. Those students which qualify under the Title 1 funding.   

 

Data Collection:  I would collect data through interviews, students, parents input and co-workers’ feedback. Develop a questionnaire that produces data.  

The data collection will be used to further develop and support the research question. The data collection will include student’s and teacher’s interviews; parent’s, teacher’s, and student’s questionnaires, in addition, the work that’s developed from working with parents, teachers and students. This data will be collected and sorted from the individual participants. I’m not sure how long it takes to collect the data; I should begin developing a plan or thinking about a plan for collecting data within the timeframe of when data is needed. 

 

Timeline: 2 months or more February - April 2024. Completion of phases October 2023 – January 2023; phases of the study is in the beginning phases, in a formatted as to do lists.

 

Struggles: I’m struggling with where and how to begin developing and selecting participants. 

 

Personalize the question:

How can I by helping students develop their agency and become empowered learners? Finding their comfort zone as they become more confident. Building a community where students can feel safe to take risks and go beyond themselves. 

Research purpose/introduction: I am having difficulty finding a cohesive and effective partnership with my current co-teacher. We want to implement the power of two in each component but need help getting there due to our different teaching styles. Also, we need to figure out where to start and how to go about it. 

Research question: How to make an effective co-teaching bond effective and efficient in the classroom? (I am still trying to figure out how to word it). Subquestions: What does a healthy co-teaching partnership look like? What steps are needed to make both teachers effective in the classroom? How do both teachers gain respect from all students? 

Participants: I am thinking of interviewing my co-teacher on her thoughts about her vision of how a co-teaching bond looks like. Also, other teachers on my team who have experience co-teaching and what strategies they have done to make it work. This includes harmful partnerships and information on what they would have done differently. 

Data Collection: I will collect data through interviews and classroom implementation. I will record academic growth when both teachers are involved. Also, I will keep note of the strategies implemented. I will use data from other classrooms as well through interviews. 

Timeline:  1 month for collecting visions from teachers of “what does a cohesive partnership look like?” 1 month of implementing strategies. 1 month of collecting data includes academic growth and partnership in the classroom. 

Issues I’m struggling with: I am struggling with interviewing my co-teacher. I do not want her to think that I am targeting her. 

Research question: My (possible) research question is: What kinds of differentiation can I use in my classroom to meet my students' needs? The sub-questions are: How can I monitor students' learning? How can I group students effectively into small groups? 

Participants: The participants will be my first grade students. I would like to group students based on their needs. 

Data Collection: I will collect data through observations, running records, and students' work samples. I will be collecting data to see how/if the differentiation I will be implementing during small groups is beneficial. The data I collect can help guide what I have to adjust to the next small group teaching. I will be  collecting students' grade results, students differentiation worksheets/activities. I will collect samples every time I meet with the group of students I work with

Timeline: The timeline for the research will be for about 2 months, from February through April. I will complete each phase of my research according to the syllabus. 

Issues I’m struggling with: I am struggling with what I could research, should I start with what is differentiation? Should I start with suggestions on how to implement differentiation and start applying that to my classroom? I am also struggling with how I will organize my data. I am a paper person, but I am afraid I will lose my data. 

Research question: How can I create an effective classroom environment to assure student success amongst English language learners?

Sub Questions: 
1. How can I effectively differentiate for learners?
2. How can providing goals for my students impact their learning? 

Participants: I would like to select students in my classroom that are English Language Learners. I was also thinking of choosing teachers that are considered "highly effective" that have taught English Language Learners. Finally, I would like include the bilingual teachers (theres only 2 in my school) which provide push-in/pull-out services for English Language Learners. 

Data Collection: I will collect data through interviews, observations, and various classroom implementation of different techniques. I will be providing surveys to students after different implementations to analyze growth. I will also record a journal to discuss with students on their interests. In second grade, students interest differ according to the topic, I think asking students will provide more information on how to approach different techniques. I will be interviewing teachers to discuss different strategies to implement in the classroom, especially the bilingual teachers in the school building. This data collection might take a couple of weeks/months as different strategies will be implemented. Finally, I am planning on starting later on in the year or sometime in the beginning of next year.  

Timeline: I will be needing 2 months February - April 2024 in order to collect sufficient data and analysis of the data. This might change in accordance to how much data is gathered overall. 

Issues I’m struggling with: I think I am struggling with creating sub-questions. I'm not sure if my sub-questions are good enough.

Research purpose/introduction: While teaching in an ICT classroom,I was always curious about if there are more strategies to better fit the needs of both general ed ,and students with IEPs. Even when I was teaching, they received pulled out services. I wonder if there was a better strategy that I could’ve used to teach the entire classroom better. Of course, they are going to be some students that will be advanced, and some that will not. I believe my job is to make sure that all groups feel included, and that the learning environment will not feel stagnant but flourish

Research question/ sub questions: What are the best strategies/methods that I can use to better assist of the students needs in an ICT classroom? How can these be applied in the classroom? What are the outcomes when an ICT classroom is taught by not just myself but a co-teacher?

Participants: Any future classroom that I would work in along with either a co-teacher, or a teacher in another classroom that has taught an ICT classroom. (at the moment I

am not working in the school, but will be expected to soon due to student teaching.) Can be grades 1-6.

Data collection: I will collect data by having audio logs of lessons. Interviews with co teacher, collecting exit tickets before implementing the lesson and after the implemented lesson.

Timeline: the process should not take longer than four months. Up to 30 days for interviews. Up to 30 days with data collection before implementing the lesson. 30 days of review of implementing the lesson and studying any data such as exit tickets 30 days to wrapup findings and draw conclusion of the outcome.

Issues that I am struggling with: The issue I’m struggling with is visioning this in whichever grade that I was working in the future. Although I’m not entirely sure, I will need to be soon.

Research question: What effective strategies can I learn to become efficient with my time management in the classroom? 

Sub questions: Where can I find extra time to help struggling students, when I have to teach a lesson to the entire class? How can I make sure that my lesson is not dragging or going too fast? What would be an appropriate think/response time I should give to my students, when asking them questions? What would be desirable time allocation for activities and learning experiences within a lesson? How to make sure that I don't overload my lessons? 

Participants: I plan to conduct my research at PS 212 in Manhattan, which is my fieldwork placement site for this semester. I am planning to do my observations at this school again, during the spring semester. My main focus will be on the 3rd grade classroom, run by a very knowledgeable and experienced teacher. 

Data collection: Besides observing and interviewing the 3rd grade teacher, I will also interview other teachers at this school, and observe their lessons. I plan to interview students, and learn which time management strategies work for them and why. I can also design a questionnaire for my classmates at City College who work at schools.

Timeline: Approximately 2-3 months. I will need to start as soon as I can. Since most of my planning will happen this semester, where I will research the academic  literature on the topic of my interest, I will be prepared for the implementation stage as early as January. 

Struggles: At this point there is a lot of unknown. Since I don’t work at the school now, I can only do my research during my fieldwork visits. I’m also not sure yet how and when I will interview students during their school day. 

While I am not currently teaching in a classroom, it is a common occurrence to hear kids complain about having to read. With all the technology and video apps that are available for engagement, a love of reading seems to have dwindled in this generation. I often visit libraries and see less kids browsing for books or simply reading at a table. When I taught in a middle school classroom, kids would sigh and constantly tell me “I hate reading” when we broke out into our independent reading time. I am curious to explore what techniques can motivate learners to WANT to read more. 

Research Question:

How can I increase or create the love/motivation to read in an elementary school classroom?

1.     What strategies can I incorporate in the classroom to engage learners when reading?

2.     How can I make connections between books and issues students care about?

3.    How are students exposed to reading outside the home and with their families?

Participants:

I would include the students I work with, parents, other teachers and possibly interview a literacy specialist if the school has one. 

Data Collection:

Data will be collected through interviews, pre and post surveys to students and parents, observations, recordings and journal entries from students and myself. If I have a co-teacher, I will always include them in the study with formal interviews and collaboration with parts of the study. Teachers/administration in my school might also be important to interview and observe. I would love to gain knowledge and strategies for motivating students from veteran teachers and or a reading specialist. I will collect this data to see how students feel about reading and if it is encouraged by their family. I will observe how motivational techniques work for students and if attitudes changed about reading at the end of the study. I might observe how test scores reflect changes in reading motivation and engagement for selected students. 

Timeline: 

This study would occur for 2-3 months, starting when I begin my student teaching in February. Since I will be starting in the middle of the year, I anticipate students needing a little time to warm up to me and will slowly roll out my interviews after a few weeks of getting to know the kids’ likes/dislikes and observations about reading.

Issues I am struggling with: 

I do not know the grade or school I will be working with and therefore, cannot anticipate attitudes about reading from students. My research question might be too general and am considering changing it after my literature review research. 

Research purpose/introduction: 

I would like to study and conduct this research because it is a question that will encompass working with second language learners.  I would like to explore how English language learners utilize their metacognitive skills in order to acquire a new language and how transfer of knowledge occurs within the classroom.

I would like to study how second language learners learn in a classroom environment.  My research question is something to the extent of: What pedagogical approach, method, technique and materials work best when working with second language learners?

1)    What roles can technology use play in engaging English language learners?

2)    Which strategies are most effective for each target skill (reading, writing, listening,

3)    What role does learners’ motivation play in the relationship between language proficiency and academic success?

4)    How can multiple intelligences be integrated into English as a second language learning curriculum?

Participants:

The participants would be an ESL class in any grade of 1-6.

Data Collection: 

 I will collect data by doing observations, tracking children’s formative/summative assessments, pictures, and interviews of teachers. I will be collecting this data so that I can apply some of the approaches, methods, techniques and materials needed to help second language learners succeed in the classroom. I will collect formative/summative assessments from students, notes from observations, pictures showcasing students engage in their learning.  I will be collecting data within classrooms at an assigned school for my student teaching semester.  I will collect the data throughout the student teaching semester for February until May.

Timeline: The timeline for the project will be February through May.

I have not wrapped my head around issues arising from my research, however, I do know that some may arise at the time the research is being conducted. The only issue I have now is that I only wanted to focus on multiple intelligences because how personally attach I am to it.  However, I also hold dear to me how second language learners learn and receive transfer of knowledge.

I work as a second grade Associate Teacher at Chapin, a K-12 independent girl’s school. It is my first year on the job, and I am paired with a very organized and competent head teacher of 8 years at Chapin. The students that I teach are somewhat varied in their ability levels in various academic subjects — they each have their own strengths and areas of growth — however, in general it is clear that they are all highly engaged, high achieving students; the school is very selective.

Although we are just beginning to get into the meat of the curriculum, it is clear that formative assessment and project based learning are a favored mode of instruction at the school. I am also going to be tasked with joining a team together with 2 other associate teachers to revise the social studies curriculum, which is going to include a culminating project, which may have some elements of participatory research, in that the students will be making a movie, and will be filming themselves and one another.

Research Question: How can I, as a first year associate teacher, promote student self-efficacy for my second grade students through the use of formative assessment and project based instruction?

Sub Questions:

How do the current formative assessment methods employed by my school allow for students to self-evaluate? 

What sort of self-assessments are the students making, and what effects do these ideas have on student mood and performance?

What parts of the project based learning experience promote student self-efficacy most effectively?

Without changing the curriculum or impinging upon the plans that my head teacher and coworkers have, how can I constructively allow for greater student choice in a way that encourages them as learners?

Participants: I would base my research study on my 2nd grade class of 20 students at Chapin.

Data Collection: I will collect my data during work at Chapin. The bulk of my data collection will come from my running records and notes taken throughout the day, which I am already doing as a required part of my job.  There will also be opportunities for video and photography evidence of the students’ work garnered from their project, pending school approval and parent consent. If granted consent, which I expect I will get, I will also contact and take notes about student interviews. Additionally, the many written and drawn projects given the students provide sources for visual data.

Timeline: I will collect data from February - April 2024. 

Issues I'm Struggling With: I am still trying to find my place in the classroom, and figure out to what extent my head teacher partner is open to my suggestions. I am in a support role. I want to show that I am enthusiastic about taking on more responsibilities and leading the class with my own ideas for lesson plans, but I do not want to encroach on the sovereignty of my head teacher, who is very organized and knows how she likes to do things. She has certainly been allowing for ample and increasing opportunities for me to lead the class. However, there is uncertainty for me about the extent to which I will be able to bring in my own ideas for planning.

Research question:
      How can student-led discussions in a 4th grade Math class impact student performance and productivity?
Sub Questions: 

Participants: 
      Two classes of 4th grade students will be selected. One class will consist of 24 students (10 ENL students) and the second class will be an ICT class with 22 students where I will be teaching with a co teacher.   

Data Collection: 
       The data I will be collecting will consist of scribed audio recordings of student conversations, student work, student surveys, teacher and student conferences, and anecdotes of observations. I am collecting this data because the premise of my study is about student-led discussions, therefore listening to conversations centered around students about math in my classroom is crucial. I will be collecting these data for four months in my classroom through whole class discussions, collaborative groups conversations, and partner talk throughout the lesson. I will conduct conferences with students before and after implementing expectations of Math discourse. I will also interview my co-teacher to get her insights on my study as she will be a part of it as my co-teacher. 

Timeline:
       I will conduct my study in the span of 4 months, from February to April 2024. 

Issues I’m struggling with:
       A few issues I am struggling with are trying to decide the phases of my study and managing it. I need to plan requirements and criteria of what student productivity, student performance, and effective math discourse in classrooms looks like. I need to define these terms and expectations before I begin my study.  

I am always asked, "Do inclusion schools work for general education students? Do they perform better academically? What are the benefits to those students?" While I feel confident about speaking to more of the social-emotional benefits, I feel curious about the academic benefits.  For my research, I’d like to take a closer look at the inclusive practices used in inclusion schools and focus on the strategies that are most helpful to all students.

Research question: 

What inclusive practices effectively support all of the general education students in my inclusion classroom?

There are four students in my current class who are general education students.  I have a lot of exposure to them throughout the day and will have ample opportunities to observe and interview them.  They also vary in their academic experiences; two students have been in an inclusion school for a year already, while two are just starting for their first time this year.  They also vary in terms of academic performance. 

Data Collection: 

I will mainly collect data by either observing the lead teachers in my classroom implement inclusive practices or through my own implementation of different inclusive practices that I’m interested in learning more about.  I will observe my students during lessons and also analyze their work to get an understanding of their understanding.  I will also conduct interviews with these students so that I can understand which practices they feel best support their learning, as well as to gauge if there are any academic supports or tools they saw others using that they feel may also help support them.  I am still feeling unsure of when and for how long I will be collecting data.  I’d like to have a chance to read some literature to help inform my decisions for data collection, as I’m not yet sure which inclusion practices I’ll be focusing on.

Timeline: (2 months or more (once the project is approved), February-April. 

I feel the timeline needs to be informed by the literature I will read in order to understand which practices I will be observing and to know how much time I will need to develop a plan to put them into action.  

I think it may be a challenge to implement different strategies in the classroom (if need be), as I have two lead teachers who may feel unsure about trying something different.  I think there is the potential for them to feel defensive about the strategies they currently use.  They may not be open to trying something different. 

 

I am currently a Preschool 3’s teacher, which is not at all the age group I am interested in teaching. Despite this, I have found it really easy to relate my experiences with what I learn in my classes. I am learning a lot about classroom management, style, and structure in my day to day. This experience teaches me more-so how to manage a classroom than anything else. I want to explore incentives because I’ve been told to stay away from them and also utilize them. When I give stickers out all the kids want one but not all the kids did the special thing to deserve them. Is it ok to leave some out? Does it lose its effectiveness? How does this look in older ages? Is there a way to use incentives that can be responsible and not exclude kids? We must be conscious of social standings that they could impact yet we need them to be useful. I have a lot of questions to explore. 

 

Research question: What do I want to study?  What sub-questions do I have?
(2-4 sub-questions)

 

 

 

Participants: How will they be selected?

 

 

Data Collection: How will I collect data?  Why am I collecting this data?  What exactly am I going
to be collecting?  Where are you going to be collecting it?  When
will you be collecting it and for how long?

 

 

Timeline: (2 months or more (once the project is approved), February-April.
When will I complete the different phases of my study?

 

Feb-April

 

 

Behavioral management is a hot topic for me, it’s something I hear a lot of teachers are struggling with. It’s also something I’ve struggled with while teaching. As an early childhood teacher, I experienced firsthand the struggles of coping with behavioral challenges. I have a passion for helping children overcome challenging behaviors. It is important to be able to help these children reach their full potential and get the best out of their education while teaching them safe ways to be in the classroom.  I really want to learn effective techniques or tools to use for behavioral management. 

 

 

Research question: What do I want to study?  What sub-questions do I have? (2-4 sub-questions) 

What are some techniques for disruptive behavioral management? 

Participants: How will they be selected?

I’d have to sit in on different classrooms to find teachers with good classroom management skills and learn the different techniques used for coping with these behaviors.


Data Collection: 
How will I collect data?
Data will be collected by observing several educators to determine what techniques have been effective or ineffective in good classroom management.

Why am I collecting this data?
I want to collect this data, to educate future and present teachers on how to incorporate a positive classroom environment with a multitude of different behaviors.

What exactly am I going to be collecting?
I'm going to observe techniques used for managing behavioral challenges.

Where are you going to be collecting it?
I'm hoping to be able to collect my data from KIPP elementary on 135th street and Broadway, or from Columbia Elementary School.

When will you be collecting it and for how long?
Data will be collected on a weekly basis for 2 days a week for about 2 hours a day.  One day will be in the morning time and one day will be in the evening.

Timeline: (2 months or more (once the project is approved), February-April. When will I complete the different phases of my study?
 
I will conduct my study from February to April 2024.
 
 
Issues I’m struggling with:
 
I’m struggling with where to start with my research question. I know it’s something I’m passionate about but I have to remember that I’m doing this from an elementary level point of view instead of an early childhood point of view. 

Research Question:

Why do I want to study this?

Sub-Questions

Participants

Data Collection

Issues I’m Struggling With

Sub Questions: 

Participants: 
I would include my students I work with , parents and other teachers in the the building.


Data Collection:
In order to collect data I want to give my students surveys and see how they feel about the curriculum and if they feel represented in the lessons.  In addition to that I would ask parents their opinions on the teaching that happens.  After that I would interview other teachers to get their opinion on how they think the curriculum represents their students and how do they practice being culturally responsive. 

Timeline:
This process could potentially take 3-4 months.  I think that we could take a month to do surveys and interviews then another month to use different strategies and practices that are culturally responsive and collect that data on the differences I see in scholar investment and based on what scholars say in a post survey.  


Struggles:
I am struggling with better ways to collect data. I kind of want data that is tangible in addition to what I have. I am not sure the possibilities with data collection for my specific question. I am also worried about my time management doing this research with all the other moving pieces I have.
Date