My Action Plan

Mentoring/Peer Coaching Action Plan
Goal: Continuous improvement in teaching and learning is the expectation for every teacher. What teachers know and can do is essential in accelerating the academic achievement of students. The overarching purpose of the Mentor/ Peer Coaching Program is to develop the professional skills, knowledge, and expertise of all teachers, new and veteran, for improved teaching and learning.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Form a planning committee to obtain as much information as possible about teacher mentoring and peer coaching programs.	Erica Urbina Committee Members	August 2010	Office supplies, meeting space	Solicit feedback from committee members
Review the literature about teacher mentoring and peer coaching.	Erica Urbina Committee Members	August 2010-September 2010	Selected reading material, Internet searches	Select reading list and websites to review
Interview teachers from other districts/campuses who are practicing teacher mentoring and/or peer coaching.	Erica Urbina Committee Members	October 2010	Travel time, classroom coverage	Survey/questionnaire
Arrange for a group of teachers to make site visits at districts/campuses using teacher mentoring/peer coaching.	Erica Urbina	October 2010-November 2010	Travel time, classroom coverage	Survey/questionnaire
Compile and review collected data.	Erica Urbina Committee Members	August 2010-November 2010	Office supplies, Meeting space	Review and analyze data collected
Committee collaboratively plans how it would like the ideal mentor/peer coaching program to operate. The program's effect on teachers, students, and administrators should be analyzed.	Erica Urbina Committee Members Campus Administrators	November 2010-January 2011	Office supplies, Meeting space, teacher schedules, master schedule	Review and analyze data collected
Begin to plan in detail how the program would be implemented. Factors such as training, scheduling, and budget concerns must be addressed.	Erica Urbina Committee Members Campus Administrators	January 2011-March 2011	Office supplies, Meeting space, teacher schedule, master schedule	Implementation plan developed and completed

Action research involves research completed by those who will be directly affected by its' outcomes. Action research or inquiry is not the ‘latest trend’ in education. Rather, it has been used as a method of investigation in classrooms and utilized as a professional development tool designed to improve teaching. This old trend has taken on a new direction and has been expanded now to include administrators. Action research empowers us as administrators to be proactive in effecting change on our campus.

The process of inquiry begins with a “problem” or “wondering” that specifically pertains to our own campus. Data concerning the issue may easily be collected and analyzed because it can be acquired on our own campus. Therefore, we have a vested interest in the outcome of the research as it will directly benefit our own school community.

Upon examining the first chapter of the Dana text, I was pleased to read some of the positive comments coming from actual administrators who have employed the use of action research on their own campuses. Many readily admitted that the daily grind and tasks of an administrator made it difficult to focus on completing the process of research. Nonetheless, all remained steadfast in the vision of exacting change and modeling learning leadership. Comparing action research to regular exercise was an excellent way to drive home the point that time can and must be made for completing this process. I still feel like I have much to ‘research’ on the topic of action research, but I am looking forward to the challenge.

Although I have read blogs before, I have never actually written or responded to the thoughts and writings of others. I can see the powerful impact maintaining a blog could have on a learning community. It is a rather informal yet useful tool for gaining insight into the outlook of others.