Purpose of Action Research
The Art of
Students should succeed in learning environments
that are open, motivating, and engaging, where
students and teachers are working together in
successful partnerships (Jones, 2008) (Tapola &
Niemivirta 2008).
Possibility:
Creating More
I want my students to become more motivated
learners in a classroom where there are multiple
opportunities for success. There should not be
one-time only chances for success, but instead
multiple opportunities to demonstrate learning
and understanding. Additionally, students should
not settle for a D grade. Students should not settle
in their lives for the minimum but instead, foster a
greater understanding of what it means to be a
successful learner. Through the students’
participation and drive in this research, we will
create a safe nurturing 21st century learning
environment allowing for my students to become
masterpieces of possibility.
Successful Learners
Molly…
“But what I love most… is that it feels like you
are actually giving us a chance and you don’t
want us to fail. Every other teacher it feels like
wants to watch us fail and that they don’t
care about us individually. This seems like you
want us to exceed and have a chance. I hate
receiving grades back in other classes and I
look at my stupid mistakes and I can’t fix
them. I like correcting my mistakes and
having a chance to improve.”
The Art of Possibility:
Creating More Successful
Learners
Anne K Smith
asmith@lps.k12.co.us
Phone: 303-347-6000
http://sites.google.com/site/
annesmithomet/Home
Anne K. Smith
Pepperdine University
Online Masters of Educational Technology
“Every block of
stone has a statue
inside it and it is
the task of the
sculptor to
discover it.”
-Michelangelo
Removing the Possibility of the D
The students were very open to removing the possibility of
a D in their work. Expecting more of them and from them
created a positive change in the learning environment.
student, a student teacher. In this cycle, I still explored the
question of “How do I motivate my students to become
elimination of the D pushed them to achieve more
more successful learners?” to helping my student teacher
because “failure wasn’t an option.”
become a more successful learner and teacher through
Going forward, students reflected that they wished more
mentoring and the role of feedback. The question became
classes implemented a No D policy.
“If I provide dynamic support first through modeling, then
parallel teaching and then working alone, will this help my
Multiple Revision Policy
To expect students to do more and be more, students
needed multiple opportunities to demonstrate their
learning and understanding. Students could revise their
students, my student teacher, and myself, become more
successful learners?”
Modeling Feedback
work based upon my feedback over and over again until
Through a five step process of modeling feedback, parallel
the six week grading period.
double feedback, student teacher only feedback, peer
their own efforts how important it is to do their best work
the first time so that revisions did not encompass all their
time.
Over the past year, my students and I have tried to change
Additionally, many students commented at the end of this
the direction of student learning into a more successful,
cycle how much their writing had improved as a result of
meaningful and relevant direction. Together, we sought
being able to redo their work over and over again.
the answer to the question, “How can I motivate my
Students were learning from their mistakes and applying
students to be engaged and successful learners in a
their new understanding to future assignments.
classroom environment where they are participants and
In cycle two, I shifted the focus of the research to another
Students reflected throughout the semester that the
Interestingly enough, students became aware as a result of
Creating More Successful Learners:
Cycle One
Creating More Successful Learners:
Cycle Two
learners?”
Student Generated Rubric
We discovered the answer to this question in an intensely
In order for students to be in charge of their learning and
reflective and personally changing cycle. In order to
assessment, they needed to develop a rubric that would
answer this question, we first instituted a No D policy.
assess each assignment. Collaboratively, students
Next, as a class, we decided that the students should have
determined what qualities were necessary to achieve A, B,
multiple opportunities on their work to demonstrate their
and C quality work.
learning and understanding. Finally, we created a student
With each assignment turned in, students were in control
generated rubric to measure grade A, B, and C quality
of their grade because they knew the work that was
work.
expected of them in order to achieve the desired grade.
feedback, and individual feedback, my student teacher
was immersed in teaching, learning, and reflecting through
his student teaching.
With each of the various forms of feedback we
implemented in our class, the feedback wasn’t just for the
students learning and growth, but for the student
teacher’s as well.
Mentoring
Over the course of cycle two, one thing that resonated
with both myself and my students was that our student
teacher not only had myself as his mentor, but an entire
class mentoring as well.
Overall Reflection
Through empowering my students, I have empowered
myself – to be a masterpiece of greatness. The art of
possibility has created not only more successful students,
but a more successful teacher and learner.