What is the teacher’s role in helping students set priorities in order to be more successful in

academics?

Initial Study

English Class of 21 Freshman Students

Crawfordsville High School

August 2004 – May 2005

Pulled-Apart Gingerbread Person Student Demands and Responsibilities

August 2004

School work 19

Family 19

Peers 16

Jobs and Chores 15

Sports 11

Entertainment 11

May 2005

Peers 23

School work 15

Family 13

Jobs and Chores 7

Sports 7

Entertainment 6

Implications of Gingerbread Person

• Will students’ perceptions of their demands

change as they move through high school?• Will it be helpful to extend this research by

following up with these students through

high school?• Do teachers sense a relationship between

students’ demands and responsibilities and

their performance on school work?

Student Questionnaire March 2005

Students’ Perceptions of High School

1. How do events and responsibilities outside school affect your work in your classes?

2. How have your teachers helped you adjust to high school?3. How has this school been different for you compared to your eighth

grade year?

4. How can teachers help you become more organized and focused on your school work?

5. What do you expect to do to become more successful in school?

How can teachers help you become more organized and focused?

March 2005Give less homework 3Make sure students understand what is being taught 2Make sure students have the right papers 2Make sure students have all their materials 2Make lessons more fun 2Give more class time for homework 2Provide time after school to help 2Teachers can’t help; it’s up to the student 2Teachers already take work too seriously

Implications of March Questionnaire

Do teachers believe that they are

responsible for helping students become

more focused and organized?

What strategies do teachers use to help

students become more focused and

organized?

Possible Next StepsAdapt and use “March Questionnaire” with teachers

Ask for volunteers (same students, other CHSteachers, and others?) to continue the study with me, emphasizing that the goal is to help students succeed

Examine student responses to “What do you expect to do to become more successful in school?”

Create new activities to follow up with students and to help them with setting priorities

Use information from teacher questionnaire to decide future direction and application of study

2005-06 Focus

Revised Question

What am I doing to help students with organization?

Are these strategies working?

Revisit Question from March 2005

How can teachers help you become more organized and focused?

Some Reasonable Student Suggestions

Make sure students have the right papers Make sure students have all their materials Provide time after school to helpHave folders in each classroom to keep student work

Revised Question

What strategies do I use now to help students become more focused and organized?

Are these strategies helpful?

Classroom Management Strategies

Start class with overview of day’s workEnd class with reminders of assignments

Wire basket for turning in papersBoxes for turning in projectsStudent folders for returned workClass crates with returned workExtra copies of assignments on bulletin board

Desks arranged in groups

Weekly calendar on white board inside doorCalendar on bulletin board White boards on easels for special notices

Technology-Related Strategies

Laptop computer 24/7Printer in classroom

Shared folder for PowerPoint presentations

Calendar in AngelAssignments available on AngelHand in work through AngelGive PowerPoint presentations through AngelE-mail teacher through Angel

Other Strategies

Reading Records

Reading Bingo Sheets

Guidelines for assignments

Rubric for assignment when assignment first given

Teacher available before school

Teacher available after school

Organization Questionnaire

See handout

Results of College Prep Seniors Questionnaires

Most Helpful • End-of-class reminders• Printer in classroom • Guidelines for assignments• Rubric for assignment when

given• Wire basket for turn-in• E-mail teacher through Angel• Weekly white board calendar• Assignments on Angel• 24/7 Laptops

Least Helpful• Reading Bingo Sheet• Student folders for returned

work• Boxes for turning in projects• Start class with overview• Reading Records

Results of Non-College Bound Senior Questionnaires

Most Helpful• End class with reminders• Wire basket for turn in• Extra copies on bulletin board• Printer in class• Weekly white board calendar• Calendar on bulletin board• Rubric when assignment given• White board with special

notices• Guidelines for assignments

Least Helpful• 24/7 laptops• Shared network folders for

PowerPoint presentations• Arrangement of desks in

groups• PowerPoint presentations

through Angel• Class crates with returned

work• Hand in work through Angel• Reading Bingo Sheet

Results of Honors Sophomores Questionnaires

Most Helpful• White board with weekly

calendar• End-of-class reminders• Printer in class• Wire basket for turn in• Guidelines for

assignments• Assignments on Angel• Boxes for project turn-in• E-mail teacher through

Angel

Least Helpful• 24/7 laptops• Student folders for

returned work• Class crates for returned

work• Start class with overview

Most Helpful Classroom Management Strategies

• End-of Class Reminders 3/3

• Wire Basket for Turn In 3/3

• Weekly Whiteboard Calendar 3/3

Most Helpful Other Strategies

• Guidelines for Assignments 3/3

• Rubric When Assignment Given 2/3

Most Helpful Technology-Related Strategies

• Printer in Classroom 3/3

• Assignments on Angel 2/3

• E-mail Teacher Through Angel 2/3

Interesting Results

• The college prep seniors found the 24/7 laptops to be one of the most helpful organization strategies, while the honors sophomores and the non-college bound seniors found the 24/7 laptops to be one of the least helpful organization strategies.

• Starting class with an overview is considered one of the least helpful organization strategies for honors sophomores and non-college bound seniors, while good pedagogy seems to means giving an overview to be helpful.

• The returned paper system of student folders and class crates is considered one of the least helpful organization strategies by all three groups, but one of the most helpful for me.

Inferences

• The college prep seniors are anticipating using laptop computers in college soon and recognize their worth for organization.

• My use of the beginning-of-class overview has been ineffective as far as helping students organize themselves and their work.

• Students did not understand the paper return system and its purpose in helping them be better organized.

2006-07 Action Plan

• Encourage 24/7 laptop program to continue with college prep seniors.

• Encourage continuation of Angel to help students be better organized and maintain better contact with teachers

• Improve my use of the beginning-of-class overview, perhaps in conjunction with whiteboard on easel

• Improve my explanation of the folder/crate system • Encourage students to access their folders more

frequently• Continue white board weekly calendar• Continue wire basket turn-in system• Continue guidelines and accompanying rubrics with

assignments

Evolution of My CBRSpring 2004

• Developed question “What is the teacher’s role in helping students set priorities in order to be more successful in academics?”

• Learned that I would be teaching a freshman English class in addition to my usual assignments of college prep seniors and honors sophomores

• Decided to focus on freshmen only for CBR

Evolution of My CBR2004-2005

• Developed an art/writing project to illicit student responses related to the CBR (Gingerbread figure)

• Began concentrating on setting priorities in all aspects of their daily lives and helping them become better organized

• Helped students to identify their responsibilities, priorities, and effects of various influenced on their school work

• Recognized that the question was to broad• Recognized that I could not do a follow-up on those

specific students• Changed to what the classroom teacher can do to help

students become better organized, perhaps only in regard to technology

Evolution of My CBR2005-06

• Decided to set student organization as a high priority in all classes

• Decided not to focus just on technology-related strategies