Problem of Practice
DPLA Problem of Practice: Project Description
Titus Pollard, DPLA Fellow
Dr. Corn, Instructor
The percentage of 6th graders’ Disciplinary Referrals (70.4% of total student body referrals or 309 of 566 total) and Minor Incidences requiring classroom behavioral interventions (57% of the entire student body) is highest among all the grades (6th,7th, & 8th) at Lowe’s Grove Middle School (LGMS). In analyzing this problem, there seems to be the following issues:
This is my Problem of Practice.
As a solution to this PoP, I am proposing a series of interventions that are research-based, and supported by peer review(s). My accompanying annotated bibliography will detail the articles I’ve read to support my interventions.
I intend to either create and incorporate or assist others in interventions designed to decrease the percentage of disciplinary referrals. I will:
What are the intended outcomes?
Titus Pollard, DPLA Fellow
Dr. Corn, Instructor
The percentage of 6th graders’ Disciplinary Referrals (70.4% of total student body referrals or 309 of 566 total) and Minor Incidences requiring classroom behavioral interventions (57% of the entire student body) is highest among all the grades (6th,7th, & 8th) at Lowe’s Grove Middle School (LGMS). In analyzing this problem, there seems to be the following issues:
- Inexperience among some of the 6th grade teaching staff in classroom management & lesson implementation strategies
- Lack of understanding the student population with regard to their socio-economics, perceptions toward educational authority, racial makeup, prerequisite knowledge, learning styles, etc.
- A lack of student ‘rewards’ and success targets in place; no (LGMS) school-based incentives for students to ‘look forward to’
- No consistency in alternative means of student discipline
- No viable personal connection between teachers and their students
This is my Problem of Practice.
As a solution to this PoP, I am proposing a series of interventions that are research-based, and supported by peer review(s). My accompanying annotated bibliography will detail the articles I’ve read to support my interventions.
I intend to either create and incorporate or assist others in interventions designed to decrease the percentage of disciplinary referrals. I will:
- Consult with our Instruction Facilitator for coaching in classroom management
- Take an instructional lead on a series of PLCs with topics that will help teachers work toward an end-goal of student proficiency and better student behavior
- Collaboratively initiate a variety of “lunch clubs”; an abridged set of Genius Hours which allow students to exercise their personal interests, giving them a realistic reward system.
- Initiate administrative disciplinary measures which historically are more restorative than punitive in nature.
What are the intended outcomes?
- More effective classroom management
- Decreased percentage (+/- 30%) of discipline referrals
- Students are grouped and nurtured (by their teachers) according to their individual interests
- Student feelings of belonging and desire to self-regulate behavior
- More consistency in alternative measures to administrative discipline
dpla.pollard.popannotatedbibliography.docx |
lgms_6th_grade_lunch.clubs.tallysheet.xlsx |