What Works? Chapter 1 Exercises

First, let me say that I struggled to focus on a particular venue as I answered the questions related to the reading in Chapter 1. I've taught for 17 years, but am not currently in an elementary classroom so in some instances, my answers are based on recall.  I'm a doctoral student, so a few of the answers reflect the issues I am dealing with in that respect.  Finally, as a doctoral student, I am anticipating "THE DISSERTATION."  In light of that, I couldn't help but consider and reflect upon the needs/ requirements of that monumental task in some answers.  All in all, I hope my reflections are not too difficult to follow and demonstrate at least a few common themes.  Combined, they reflect my thinking about "What Works?" for myself as I explore the research process.

The authors began by stating that research questions are revealed in our daily teaching.  Therefore, the logical first step in the research process should be PREPWORK - Reflecting upon what bothers you. I chose to respond to the question, "What do you want to do in your classroom that you are not doing now?   I have long been bothered by what I perceive to be the ineffectiveness of traditional ESL programs for underachieving Hispanic boys in my former elementary school and believe that facilitated  discussions about purposefully selected art (specifically Visual Thinking Strategies) might  enhance current ESL practice for this population of students. Obstacles preventing me from moving forward with research related to this hypothesis were lack of collaboration time with the regular classroom teachers and ESL staff, lack of job-embedded training opportunities for classroom teachers & ESL staff in VTS, and low administrative priority (Due to numbers, Emotional Distrurbed  students were the focus group at our school).  Necessary support would include release time for the collaboration and training described above and of course, administrative support.

PREPWORK FOR SCRACHWORK  - What research questions interest you and when clustered, what related themes/topics appear? Various research questions emerged for me as I considered the deficits of ESL programing for Hispanic boys at my former school. 
     1.  What is lacking in traditional ESL instruction that VTS might be able to provide?
     2. What VTS characeristics might suit it to addressing ESL program deficits?
     3. What are the potential consequences of inadequeate second language learning for elementary age ESL boys?
     4. What qualitites of visual artworks might make visual art appropriate content for ESL instruction?
     5. What abilities does VTS nurture that are necessary for literacy in general and second language literacy in particular?
     6. What makes visual literacy a critical way of knowing for students who are deficient in the mainstream language?

Clearly the common themes are concern with inadequacies of current ESL instruction and the utility of VTS in addressing them.

BRIDGEWORK involves locating research materials that will fill in exisiting knowledge gaps; "bridge to new understanding.

PREPWORK FOR BRIDGEWORK - What do I already know about my topic (described above) and what do I need to find out?  I already know that ESL boys at my former school struggled and generally continued to struggle in reading/writing throughout their elementary years despite once-per-week ESL instruction and attempted interventions by classroom teachers with minimal ESL training. I have coursework in Methods of Teaching ESL and Mainstreaming ESL Learners. I know how to select appropriate imagery and execute skilled VTS methods. I know that Visual Thinking Strategies not only nurtures critical and creative thinking, but scaffolds verbal communication and vocabulary skills.  Most importantly, I have watched struggling ESL students in my art classroom persist in VTS discussions as they expand vocabulary and gain self-confidence; demonstrating equal (and sometimes better) cognitive abilities to their peers.  Potential information sources that would help me fill in information gaps would be VTS parent organization staff and fellow partner network members, ESL staff and ESL literature, and other teachers who have used VTS successfully with ESL student populations (specifically Hispanic populations).

PREPWORK FOR HEADWORK - Headwork allows teacher researchers to "climb into the heads" of others.  Thinking of myself as a reasearcher, two important questions must be answered.  First, who am I to be doing the research?  In response to this question, I am a VTS "insider" who has received training in the what, why, when, where, and why of VTS.  I am also an art "insider;" and certified art educator with 17 years of experience teaching art to elementary students of all abilities and disabilities. I'm a second language "insider" in that I acquired second language skills by using it daily while living in Mexico.  I know what it's like to be deficient in the mainstream language and the kinds of experiences that help one become fluent.  I am, however and ESL and Hispanic "outsider."  I have had a few courses in English as a Second Language, but never performed as a teacher in that capacity.  I have also never been a young Hispanic boy.  The second question asks where my own ideas/strategies came from?  Sources of this information for me have come from my personal expreiences, training as an art eduator, my training as a VTS facilitator, and my observations of Hispanic boys in my art classroom.

PREPWORK FOR LEGWORK - a.k.a. pursuing the multiple data sources.
Possible sources of evidence for the reasearch topic discussed thus far would be my own and classroom teacher observations of target students in classroom settings, parent observations, student writings, pre-post language/communication assessments, longitudinal data (recommended by VTS to be over a 3 year period).  As a teacher, I would record this data in  my planbook/gradebook, annecdotal records/journaling, student observations and interviews, student writing samples (pre & post), and parent questionnaires. I believe any of these sources would provide appropriate data for the study.  Interviewees for the research would be the students, of course, but also past and present ESL and regular classroom teachers, any staff that provides special services to the target students, and parents.  Public and/or private archives that might be consulted in the study would be student academic records, standardized test score data, past/present ESL records.  Professional experts that could assist in the research would be ESL specialist, authors of VTS studies that have involved ESL students, and VTS co-founders/researchers. 

PREPWORK for EYEWORK - Examining/surveying methodologies to understand and identify possible and appropriate research methods.
The text suggests reflecting upon recent short-term and long-term problem solutions as we examined this research area.  The problems I examined were recent and personal and while they do not describe teaching problems, I think they reveal generalities common to solutions of any type both inside and outside the classroom.  My short-term problem involved parking for the fibers studio I started last week.  My assigned parking is in the Conley garage, top deck.  My fibers studio is in Bingham Commons across campus.  In case you haven't noticed, it is COLD at 8am in the mornings this semester and I knew I would probably be toting things to and from my car.  My solution to the problem involved going online and locating a campus parking map; then, locating metered parking that was closest to Bingham Commons.  At this point, I did "field research" and actually drove to that spot to see if what the map portrayed was accurate. (It was.  YEAH!)  Next, I went to the bank and withdrew cash (rolls of quarters) from my account to fund metered parking.  On the first day of class, I left home 30 minutes earlier than I normally would have to ensure being able to find a vacant parking spot (and if not, have time to park at Conley, bundle up, and WALK!)  Finally, I sat in my car in the metered parking spot until 5 minutes before class so that I could put the LEAST amount of money in the meter.  I think this solution will work for the semester! The long-term problem involved breaking my addiction to Excedrin.  Excedrin is a miracle medication for migraines, but does a major number on my stomach and is addictive, creating what doctors call "rebound" headaches; a headache created when the medication you took for the headache wears down.  Basically, you get the point where if you don't keep the Excedrin coming in, you get headaches.  (Brilliant strategy for the manufacturers of the medication!!!)Anyway, I didn't want to spend my doctoral program dealing with major head/stomach issues so I decided to break the addiction.  First, I had to go off the medicine cold turkey and bear the excruciating 7-day headache that followed. That required will power and persistence which I was able to muster, keeping my eye on the prize!  I researched migraine coping strategies in the meantime online and consequently began a healthy sleeping & excercise routine.  I also identified my "triggers" (sugar, salt, caffeine, chocolate, alchohol) and worked to eliminate/reduce them from my diet.  I also researched herbal supplements and began taking two or three that are supposed to reduce headaches and promote stomach health.  Since June, I have kicked the habit.  I used to take on average 2 per day....I've taken Excedrin only 5 times since June.  YEAH!  In comparing my short term and long term solutions, I see that there was more urgency in finding a solution to the short term problem.  It didn't require that I change anything about myself or the conditions underwhich the solution was performed.  I didn't have to modify my own or anyone elses habits (except maybe leaving home a little earlier) and the solution has a "shelf life." It will only benefit me for the finite period of time in which I am taking this studio. The long term solution, on the other hand was less urgent but more important to me for the future. It involved testing solutions and "tweaking" approaches until I arrived at the best one for the problem.  It involved habitual, attitudanal, and procedural change for me and required that I alter many factors surrounding the problem. 

 PREPWORK FOR HOMEWORK - Writing a detailed plan or outline for fitting research into your teach and personal lives.
The Homework section was difficult for me to address because, as a student and not a practicing elementary art teacher, my schedule changes by semester.  Weekends tend to be my "catch-up" times for coursework and anything else that didn't get done during the week.  Family time is squeezed in there, too.  Forget relaxation time....that's for holidays!!

As a practicing art teacher, I found that evenings and summers were the best times for me to accomplish things like study and research.  I suppose for me, deadlines would correspond to months of the year.  Deadlines motivate me; head down and barrel through!  I prefer to set intermediate goals along the way as rewards and continuing motivation.They are like mini celebrations!

PREPWORK FOR FOOTWORK  involves making a double list of strengths and weaknesses; to draw upon strengths and circumnavigate weaknesses.  In making my lists, I see that my strengths are often weaknesses as well.  Strengths - determination, focus and drive, industry, interest and passion for what I am doing, writing skills, and support system (professors, colleagues, family.)  Factors that are weaknesses include perfectionism and high expectations (Bad?  Really?), tendency to overcommit, competing desires, family demands, money/finances (I REALLY should be working full time right now!) that create a sense of urgency.  The only disasterous result I can imagine right now would be not finishing and I just won't let myself go there!

PREPWORK FOR DESKWORK involves looking for themes and patterns that offer possible interpretations. Things that I need to organize before starting would be my physical environment (Clutter is very stressful to me and counterproductive.).  Also a good software like Endnote (?) to help me organize printed research sources; a comfortable workspace that I can close off when the family is here so that things don't get lost, damaged, destroyed.  A working daily time schedule with intermediate goals built in; mini-deadlines.

PREPWORK FOR HANDWORK - Ah, the WRITING!!! Getting really good at APA writing will be important here.  I think both my Research Assistantship and my teaching of Art for Children (they are required to write a children's drawing analysis with APA) will help me review my APA skills.  Research reading will be helpful as well and I expect to be doing a lot of that before THE DISSERTATION!

PREPWORK FOR HOMEWORK - (Didn't this subheading occur already?)
What do I need to know about my own writing process? Well, I am meticulous; obsessed with denotations, connotations, inferences, etc.  I need to somehow get faster, so maybe a trip to the writing center on campus will help.  I write faster with a structure or framework so I would need to begin by constructing one.  I've written mostly for professors, parents, and other teachers.  The genre has been predominantly educational non-fiction.  I do write poetry from time to time for classes and for my own expression. Finally, I would like to disseminate my research in journals, conference presentations, and staff development programs.