EFFECTIVENESS OF LOOPING

Amber ZiglerAction Research

University of St. Thomas

The nature of looping promotes strong and meaningful relationships among teachers and students that provide a positive learning environment to increase student motivation and learning outcomes (Partnership, 2004).

A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIFE OF LOOPING http://

www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=690&sid=17044713

LOOPING CAN WORK FOR YOU!

20 years, research has shown more pros than cons when it comes to looping in the classrooms. Schools are facing not only academic approaches when it comes to students, but they are also having to face nutriment for their students emotional, physical, intellectual, and social well being (Johnson, 1998).

Jim Grant, author of several looping books, brings up a good point; we don’t change dentist or a doctor every 36 weeks, then it makes no sense to change teachers (Roberts, 2011).

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was designed to assess if looping is associated with increasing academic achievement of predominantly Hispanic third grade students. Accurately, the study investigated looping within third grade through comparing results of a measure between looping classrooms and non-looping classrooms. The data collection was guided by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills assessment scores and compared using a t-test.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM This research problem addressed in this

study was whether looping is associated with increasing academic achievement for elementary students.

George W. Bush passed the law No Child Left Behind Act so that teachers will implement higher student expectations and establish measurable goals to improve academic achievement (U.S. Department of Education. 2001).

CONCERNS

Concerns over our education system have been at the highest because students are performing low compared internationally (Greatschools, 2010).

“Over a third of all U.S. children under the age of five are cared for outside of their homes by individuals not related to them” (Johnson, 2005

HYPOTHESIS

HYPOTHESIS The following was the leading research

question for the study: Does looping increase academic achievement amongst at-risk students?

Ho: There is no significant increase in academic achievement amongst students who participated in the Waldorf model measured by the TAKS test.

H1: There is significant increase of academic achievement amongst students who participated in the Waldorf model measured by the TAKS test.

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

SteinerPiaget

Piaget’s stages of cognitive development: sensory-motor, concrete operations, and formal operations. Steiner’s descriptions of human development: imitative, imaginative, and intellectual stages (Gilbert, 2008).

Ginsburg believes that Piaget left out vital things when it comes to a child’s development such as feelings, attachment, impulse, and their impact on cognition itself (p.328).

Independent academics studies have concluded that Steiner school pupils achieve better results on intellectual development tests, college entrance exams, creativity, social and moral development, and enthusiasm for learning, which has been confirmed by college professors and many admissions staff (Gilbert, 2008).

REAL WORLD Students will

benefit greatly when they work together cooperatively in group strategies and develop social skills in later years (Hanson, 1995).

METHODOLOGY OF THE FIELD

Researchers all agree that looping has positive results but the exact cause of these results is mostly unknown. Variables have been limited to building strong relationships between teachers and students that may or may not effect students’ academic achievement (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2000; Reaves, 1992).

DATA

SAMPLE FOR THE STUDY The participants involved in the study

were male and female of third grade, Hispanic, low socio economic status, and are Limited English Proficiency speakers. The participants come from an urban school district within the state of Texas.

Posttest

Group Mean SD SEM N T DF Alpha

Control 78.00 4.08 2.04 4 4.0148 2 .05

Treatment 90.00 2.65 1.53 3

Table 1:

T-Test for Paired Test Results of Mean and Standard Deviation of Treatment and Control

Groups

Posttest

Group Mean SD SEM N T DF Alpha

Control 26.00 10.74 5.37 4 3.9224 2 .05

Treatment 60.00 8.89 5.13 3

Table 2:

T-Test for Paired Test Results of Commended Performance of the Treatment and Control Group

ACTION PLAN

This information may also be useful to educators, who are looking for a way to further their knowledge academically, build relationships, and to meet individual needs of all students. This program will target students who have anxiety on the first day of school.