Reflection

Impact on Student Learning

During my action research, I was able to see how the math workshop model impacted students’ learning. Through the use of video reflections, strategy focused small group instruction, mini lessons, and math investigations, students grew in their ability to talk about the math processes they were using. Before this study, when I asked students how they did a math problem, they would either struggle to explain their thinking or could not explain at all. During and after the study, students were able to tell me what strategies they were using and why. They could also have discussions with each other about how to solve a problem. This was important because students were aware of and could apply a variety of strategies, which is essential in math. Another way that this action research has impacted my students’ learning was by making my students more reflective on how they did math and the errors they were making. Through small group instruction, working with others on math investigations and math games, and reflection videos, students were able to reflect on why their math was correct or incorrect. Through discussion, students were able to realize where their mistakes were and come up with ways to successfully solve the problem. Not only could they fix their own mistakes, they were also able to explain strategies to other students when they were confused or had made an error. Finally, through action research, I was able to see a large amount of growth in student achievement. Using informal and formal assessments, I was able to see that students were learning and comprehending math. I think that the use of small group instruction to teach students at their level was fundamentally important in helping every child grow. I also think that students’ achievement was impacted because they had multiple exposures to each strategy and applied their learning by solving real world problems.

Impact on Current Teaching

My action research plan allowed me to change the way my math instruction was delivered. For my action research plan, I implemented the math workshop model into my classroom. The math workshop model allowed me to meet the needs of all of my fourth graders. It gave me the opportunity to work with leveled math groups every day, which helped further their understanding on concepts. This model also allowed my students to have additional practice on skills they were learning. They were able to practice skills individually, with peers by engaging in games and real world problems, and through technology. This research also impacted my teaching because I became proactive about addressing misconceptions. Through observing student discussions and watching the reflection videos, I found the areas where students were struggling or were making common errors and then taught to those mistakes. By fixing these misconceptions from the start, I was able to keep students from making these errors into habits. Lastly, the math workshop model gave me the opportunity to try a variety of strategies and dig deeper into effective math instruction. My study taught me not only how to help students achieve more in math, but also how to make them engaged in doing math. My action research allowed me to implement math games, investigations, and challenging real world problems into my instruction that I would never have done on my own.

Impact on Professional Growth

My action research project has helped me grow tremendously. One way I grew as a professional was in the area of differentiation. Before my study, I felt that I was meeting the needs of my struggling and on-level students, but that I was not successfully challenging my above grade level students. My findings gave me different strategies to use that would meet the needs of all learners. Another way that I grew was through collaborating with multiple stakeholders. My study gave me the opportunity to discuss challenges that were occurring in my classroom with other seasoned professionals. These stakeholders guided me on strategies and resources to use as well as on activities to engage students. My research really taught me the importance of working with other professionals and experts to make my instruction the best it can be. Before my action research, I was very unconfident in my teaching and how I was using my instructional time. After doing the research and implementing the math workshop model, I felt very confident that I was meeting the needs of all my students. The growth on multiple assessments demonstrated that my instruction, plans, and use of time was beneficial to students, which made me more sure of what I was doing. My confidence boost was also reflected in my students, as they too seemed to be more confident of what they were doing and the strategies they were using.

In this image, a student was working on a hands-on activity that helped him practice his computation, place value, and critical thinking skills. For this activity, students had to create a unique house that cost exactly $1,000 using the base-ten blocks. Each block stood for a different amount. Students loved getting to be creative and discuss with others their ideas, all while learning key math concepts.

Next Steps

My action research has really changed how I think about instruction and making decisions for my students. Before my study, I used only MAP data to group students. My study taught me that it is important to give students pre-tests because students have different strengths and weaknesses, so the groupings should change. In the future, I plan to continue using pre-test data to form my groups and to plan small group instruction that meets the needs of each group. With this, I plan to use data to drive my instruction in all areas of learning. This study helped me see how beneficial assessments and the data they give can be in meeting the needs of all students and creating lessons that will help students grow. In the future, I also plan to continue implementing new strategies to make my instruction as effective and engaging as possible. The needs of our students are always changing, so educators need to be willing to adapt and try new research-based strategies. Though trying new things can be scary, I know it is important to keep growing and learning so that I can fulfill the needs of my students. This plan differs slightly from my study because I will implement one strategy at a time. I think this will be advantageous because it will ensure that students can comprehend the strategy and use it effectively. When implementing multiple things at once, it is difficult to provide the necessary attention to each strategy to ensure students are getting the most out of it. Finally, there are several questions that remain from my study. The first is how the use of math talks with math workshop would impact student achievement? Due to time and the importance of several other strategies, I was unable to implement this strategy into my study. Another similar question I have is how the use of student leaders in conjunction with math workshop would impact students? This is a strategy I learned about after starting my research, that I feel might have been beneficial in helping every student grow. Finally, I will be interested to see how my research affects my students’ spring MAP scores.