EDM 613 Wk 4 Publishing Leadership Project

Photo by Jason Peglow

Introduction:

I have elected to submit applications for publication of my Action Research paper to the following resources:  The National Middle School Association's Middle School Journal (site link) and The National Council of Teachers of English's (NCTE) Language Arts Journal (site link) I chose these two journals primarily because I am a member of both of these associations, but also because the content of these two journals deals directly with the age group and the context of my action research project. Now, I get to begin the process of applying and submitting requests for publication.

Link to Publishing/Leadership Project part 1 of 2: Paper vs.  Project

Link to Publishing/Leadership Project part 2 of 2: Where to Present & Why

Link to Puplishing/Leadership Project Paper: ARP Google Doc

EDM613 Wk3 Publishing/Leadership project part 2 of 2: Where to Present & Why

Photo by Jason Peglow

Now that I have decided to write a paper instead of a presentation, for this post, which is the second in a two-part series, I am to consider which publication(s) I would like to submit my research to in order to try to get it published. There are three that I am interested in pursuing due to my membership or just general relationship to my action research project.

NMSA

The National Middle School Association's Middle School Journal (site link)

Website Write-up: Middle School Journal, a refereed journal, is an official publication and membership benefit of National Middle School Association. Published five times per year in September, November, January, March, and May, the journal offers articles that promote quality middle level education and contribute to an understanding of the educational and developmental needs of youth between the ages of 10 and 15.

Guidelines for NMSA's MSJ submissions (site link)

NCTE - LAJ

The National Council of Teachers of English's (NCTE) Language Arts Journal (site link)

Website Write-up: Language Arts is a professional journal for elementary and middle school teachers and teacher educators. It provides a forum for discussions on all aspects of language arts learning and teaching, primarily as they relate to children in pre-kindergarten through the eighth grade. Issues discuss both theory and classroom practice, highlight current research, and review children's and young adolescent literature, as well as classroom and professional materials of interest to language arts educators. (Published September, November, January, March, May, and July)

Guidelines for NCTE's LAJ submissions (site link)

NCTE - VM

The National Council of Teachers of English's (NCTE) Voices from the Middle (site link)

Website Write-up: Voices from the Middle (VM) is the peer-reviewed journal of the Middle Level Section of the National Council of Teachers of English. VM publishes original contributions on all facets of language arts learning, teaching, and research focusing on young adolescents. VM offers middle level educators a practical guide to best practices in middle schools.

Guidelines for NCTE's VM submissions (site link)

EDM613 Wk3 Publishing/Leadership project part 1 of 2: Paper vs. Project

Captain Educator by J. Peglow

For this post, which is the first in a two-part series, I am to consider how I want to go about publishing my Action Research Project be it in a paper or a presentation format. 

First, (since this is a think aloud) I must say that I am more than intimidated and anxious about doing either of these options. I am very proud of what I have accomplished over the course of this degree program, but putting it "out there" for all to see, critique, and analyze is a bit nerve-racking for me. Hopefully as I go through this process over the next two months the anxiety will lesson a bit...hopefully!

Anyhow, I didn't really have to think much about which of these two options I wanted to do. To me it seems that writing this project our as a paper/article for a publication is the most practical way to present the information I have gathered. Since the majority of my discovery and research is based on data, the paper would provide the best medium to present this material to others. It is all about writing and motivation and there is very little in the way of graphics or visuals to offer. So, based on what I see in my research, I feel the paper is the best way to go.  

EDM613 Wk3, post 2: Response to Mike Coletti

@ Mike Coletti's Musings - Wk 3 Reading: Art of Possibility, Chapters 5-8 (original post by Mike Coletti on April 12, 2011)

Photo by Jason Peglow

Mike: I absolutely agree with your comment about taking the time to "relax and lighten up a little." As a teacher and as a coach I too have found that I am more connected with the students who I have had the opportunity to talk to or joke around with in a less formal atmosphere. You and the Zanders are absolutely correct that those kids always seem to be willing to give that much more of themselves because they know you know who they are. Unfortunately though I know that there are a lot of kids that I have had the fortune of teaching that I did not make the effort to "get to know" and wonder what would they have been capable of if I had. This book does a very good job of making it clear that making the effort to have this kind of rapport with our colleagues, administrators, parents, and students would advance everyone's capabilities just that much more. It could change the world. 


Thanks for your post.

Wk 3 Reading: Art of Possibility, Chapters 5-8

(Posted by Mike Coletti on Tuesday, April 12, 2011) 

I continue to enjoy this book.  The Zander’s continue to present a common sense  approach to living and leading.  I could relate to Chapter 5, Leading from Any Chair.  When I read some of the stories relayed to us, I had to smile.  I am a coach, and I have always tried to allow the students I work with the chance to tell me what they feel they need to work on.  My most successful competitors have taken to this approach and we have productive practice sessions, which translates into success in rounds of debate and speech.  I believe the more ownership the child has with her practice and performance sessions, the better she feels.

As part of this approach, I also have sessions where we don’t work on specific pieces to perform.  Sometimes, just sitting and talking about school or life or almost anything is more effective than going over a performance selection for the umpteenth time.  Being able to relax, and lighten up a little, is following Rule Number Six.  In the scheme of things, speech competition is minor to some of the other things my kids deal with every day, and by showing an interest in the rest of their lives, it allows me to then be able to ask for more of them when it really counts, in competition. 

I think I have had this approach for most of my career.  It is nice when respected individuals like the Zanders validate what I have been doing.

EDM613 Wk3, post 3: Response to Everett Jones

@ Follow me and learn - Wk3 Reading: Art of Possibilities Chapters 5 – 8 (original post by Everett Jones on April 11, 2011)

Photo by Jason Peglow

Everett: Your awareness that you want to restructure your life and relationships for the better is always a great step in the right direction. These kinds of books that inspire people to become more aware of their surroundings and to veer from their current negative actions and directions are fantastic. I wish you all the best in staying on the path to positivity. It is a hard path to follow and is often obscured by a lot life's challenges and other people's negativity. 

You comment about chapter 5 and the conductor who is so far removed from the orchestra that he doesn't hear the questions from people directly, but rather through others is one I find many teachers can relate to. How often do teachers stand at the front of the room and lecture and instruct for months and never really know who his or her students are or hears what they have to say? I know there are times I have been so caught up in the politics of education or my own life dramas that I forget that these kids have just as many (if not more) issues that impact their learning and involvement in my room. If we take the time to get to know them, often times their productivity blossoms because they know that we know who they really are. 

Thanks for your post. 

Wk3 Reading: Art of Possibilities Chapters 5 – 8 (Posted by Everett Jones on Monday, April 11, 2011) 

These chapters are really geared towards myself and friendships that I have.  The example in chapter 5 about the conductor that doesn't know his members of the orchestra personally, but would like to.  The members hold him in such a high esteem that they send messages to him through those in the hierarchy.  He receives all praise for how the orchestra sounds, yet he does not perform and instrument at the concert.  I think it is important to acknowledge all that are part of the larger picture.  Especially if they are all working towards a common goal.  The results tend to have a better outcome.  When people are acknowledge, they tend to have a personal stake in the goal and perform better.


Chapter 6 gave an example of how when we lift away our personal judgements of people, that we may see them in a more positive manner.  I honestly think that each person no matter how evil some may seem to be, possess at least one thing that is positive.  Sometimes focusing on that, brings out a person that we never thought we'd see.


I learned from reading these chapters that I have to set up my life and relationships so that positivity embraces them both.  My daily decisions and choices not only effect myself but those around me.  Focusing on those things that make me happy in life, can hopefully overshadow those obstacles that do not.

EDM613 Wk3, post 1: Reading - Art of Possibility chp 5-8

Photo by Jason Peglow

Although all of these chapters provided me with numerous quotes of wisdom that I have written down to be blown up later and placed on my walls at school, for this week’s reading it is chapter five (Leading from Any Chair) that resonated with me the most. Throughout this entire chapter, although the words on the page were the Zanders, I kept hearing my own. With all humility I can say that I know I am very good at my job. Ever since my days as a student teacher I have found ways to engage my students in the material and enjoy coming to my class. But, I have also always known that not every unit is spectacular and there are times when the class drags and is dull and useless for both the students and myself.  This has always bothered me. “Who am I being that they are not shining?” (p. 74).  This question from the book is the reason I am now in the process of completing my third master’s degree. I have always been in pursuit of what I can do to be better to make my kids and my lessons dynamic. In my first master’s degree my capstone project was on what makes an effective teacher effective. “Who am I being that they are not shining?” (p. 74).  My second master’s degree was on streamlining and improving curriculum. “I began to shift my attention to how effective I was at enabling the musicians to play each phrase as beautifully as they were capable” (p. 69). Now, at Full Sail, I have focused my Action Research on the motivating factors of students and how to get them more engaged in the material. “I began to ask myself questions like “What makes a group lively and engaged? Instead of  “How good am I?” (p. 68). As this current degree begins to come to an end, I am so excited to know that I will have the time now to look at all this knowledge I have acquired and finally be able to piece it all together in an effort to reassess my teaching, my lessons, and my students. “A monumental question for leaders in any organization to consider is: How much greatness are we willing to grant people?” (p. 73). On a side note I must say that I am REALLY enjoying this book.

Zander, B. & Zander, R. (2000). The art of possibility: Transforming professional and personal life. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. 

EDM613 Wk2, post 4: Free Write - ARP Pgph 2

 The following was the opening of my cycle 1 plan and also is intended to be my second paragraph for my final paper for the Full Sail EMDT ARP. I welcome any and all comments and critiques:

 

     There are many poignant opinions about high-stakes testing and whether or not it has done more harm than good for the students who are subjected to these testing situations. But, no matter what the opinions are, for teachers and students in today’s educational system, standardized and quantitative testing are a reality that cannot be ignored, circumvented, or avoided. For this reason the research conducted in this project focuses on two areas of concern in assessment of state writing tests. The first area of concern is in the shortcomings of the many students at the Middle School level who are failing to achieve a proficient score on state writing tests. "Why are our students scoring so poorly? Certainly there are a number of factors out of our immediate control (e.g., second language issues, poverty, lack of parental involvement). Dwelling on these issues, however, is counterproductive and a waste of time and energy. We are better served by focusing on what we can control—namely, our teaching" (Gallagher, 2003, p. 26).
     This ARP investigated the root causes of students performing at basic or below basic writing proficiencies at the middle school level and what teaching practices could be utilized to enhance student writing skills, motivation, and interest. "Writing is an activity that is as much emotional as cognitive. Affective factors influence all phases of the writing process. A strong need exists for researchers and educators to explore the affective factors that contribute to students' writing performance. Motivation, with its conspicuous influences, is important among those affective factors" (Lam & Law, 2007).   
     Secondly this ARP  investigated those students who were capable of providing proficient standardized responses in response to writing prompts, but consistently fall short in achieving the advanced writing scores. 

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Gallagher, K. (2003). Righting our writing wrongs: Ten concerns about writing instruction. California English, 8(5), 26-28. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Lam, S., & Law, Y. (2007). The roles of instructional practices and motivation in writing performance. Journal of Experimental Education, 75(2), 145-164. Retrieved from ERIC database.