Pre-assessments

Self-assessment of Instruction Related to WTS and Targeted Student Learning Objective(s)

For Wisconsin Teacher Standards (WTS) 1 and 2, I want to focus on the subject I am

teaching as well as the instruction I provide. For the last 18 years, I have taught fifth and sixth

grade religion, fifth and sixth grade social studies, seventh and eighth grade social studies, and

fifth through eighth grade science. This year, I signed my contract as Assistant

Principal/Administrative Assistant, along with teaching middle school science. I teach 43

students within my three science classes. My students’ academic achievements range from third

grade to early high school level. One fifth grade student was home-schooled until the middle of

the third grade. The child was significantly behind and repeated third grade as recommended by

our school. Currently, this student is not performing at grade level, although he/she has made

significant gains. One sixth grade student is new to our school and has repeated fifth grade

(without an Individual Service Plan, as mom refuses to have her child tested). At present, this

student is currently performing at a beginning third grade level. One sixth grade student is

hearing impaired and wears a hearing aid. One seventh grade student has been diagnosed with

Educational Autism/Emotional Behavior Disability and has a 504 plan in place. Although

performing at grade level, this student often struggles in the classroom when he/she is having a

difficult day. Another seventh grade student is on the Autistic spectrum. This student could be

labeled as gifted and talented. A different seventh grade student is performing at a beginning

fourth grade level, as he has been diagnosed with Language Processing Disorder and is currently

on an Individualized Service Plan. One seventh grade student is more than able to perform at or

above ability, but does the bare minimum (when assignments are completed). Some of my
students are academically talented, with one student’s parents recently discussing the option of

skipping the seventh grade year.

Assessment of Student Performance Related to Targeted Student Learning Objective(s)

I have 43 students in my three science classes. My students are all at varied academic

achievement levels. One fifth grade student was home-schooled until the middle of the third

grade. This student was significantly behind and repeated third grade as recommended by our

school. Currently, this student is still not performing at grade level, but has made significant

gains. One sixth grade student is new to our school and has repeated fifth grade (without an ISP,

as mom refused to have her child tested). At present, the student is currently performing at the

beginning of third grade level. One seventh grade student has been diagnosed with Educational

Austism/Emotional Behavior Disability and has a 504 in place. Another seventh grade student

has been diagnosed with Language Processing Disorder and is performing at a beginning fourth

grade level. Some of my students are highly academically gifted, with one of my student’s

parents recently discussing the option of skipping his/her seventh grade year.

I have observed on different occasions while teaching my science lessons that some

students look bored or unengaged in their learning. I do not want my student’s to have science

be their favorite subject, but I do want to make it meaningful. I want to see engaged learners and

independent problem solvers. I made the decision to do the full plunge of using the interactive

notebooks in my science classes. This is the first time in 26 years that I can focus solely on

science. I also wanted to see if students when given the opportunity to use personal connections

does student achievement increase.

Assessment of Learning Environment While Learning Targeted Objective(s)

Science textbooks contain facts, information, and concepts. I attempt to incorporate a

variety of activities to enhance student learning. I tend to present the information, as part lecture

and note taking, along with small and large group work, labs and experiments. My students take

pleasure when we complete various labs and experiments in class. I sometimes see my students

look unengaged or bored, when we are taking notes on some sections. This concerns me; I do

not want science to be every student’s favorite subject, but I do want it to be meaningful. I want

to know when my students leave St. Anne Catholic School, that my students have learned and

mastered various concepts. Last year, I introduced the interactive notebook in my science

classes. Students seemed to like the way they were able to incorporate their learning style

through their creativity. I did bits and pieces of the interactive notebook throughout the year, but

did not do the full plunge into this resource. This year, I have been able to focus solely on my

science classes (the first time in 25 years of teaching). I have participated in webinars to

improve my understanding on how the interactive notebook works and how to set it up correctly.

I also purchased various interactive notebook templates to use on a regular basis in my science

classes.

Assessment Conclusion and Essential Question to Guide Research

The self-assessment, assessment of student performance, and learning environment

assessment show I would benefit in adding more instructional strategies that allow creativity and

choice for my middle school students. My learning goal focuses on the performance section of

WTS 1 as, “The teacher effectively uses multiple representations and explanations of

disciplinary concepts that capture key ideas and links them to students' prior understandings.”
 Research Summary

Middle school students are a unique group of individuals. They have a schedule that

allows them to move from class to class. They are being introduced to letter grades that reflect

their academic achievement. They have a variety of teachers which all have specific expectations

and teaching styles. Middle school students, most importantly, learn differently than elementary

students. Endacott (2007) stated, (as stated from Woods & Jones, 1997)

middle school kids are at a precarious place in their educational lives as they transition

from a self-contained elementary school classroom to the almost wholly independent

high school campus. This transition means that middle school students have unique

needs such as freedom of choice, instructional diversity, personal expression, and

broadened perspectives. (p. 128)

It is the middle school teacher’s task to teach various and needed skills so students will be

prepared for the next level of learning. Reinforcing personal responsibility and accountability

are two of many skills needed to become independent thinkers and problem solvers. Endacott,

(2007) affirmed,

Interactive notebooks allow students the freedom of choice with many assignments and

the opportunity to express themselves personally. The notebooks also provide a

consistent resource for students to return to after diverse instructional activities and an

outlet for student thoughts and perspectives. (p. 129)

A teacher should take time to learn more of each student’s learning style. Not all learners

learn the same way. The interactive notebook aids in recognizing each student’s learning style

and capitalizes on this through the choice of assignments and accommodates students who learn
in various ways. Endacott (2007) stated (as stated by Gardner, 1983), “The interactive notebook

was originally based on the theory of multiple intelligences.”

When there is personal choice in an assignment, it not only empowers students, it also

shows a personal connection to the material being studied.

“Interactive Student Notebooks can tap into visual intelligence by including such visual

elements such as graphs, maps, illustrations pictowords, and visual metaphors; musical

intelligence by asking students to compose a song or react to a piece of music in writing;

intrapersonal intelligence by allowing student to reflect on how history affects them;

interpersonal strengths by serving as a place to record group discussions and project

notes; and logical-mathematical intelligence through the use of sequence, graphs, and

charts. (Endacott, (2007) as confirmed by Bower & Lobell, 1999, p. 137, italics in

original)

An interactive notebook can be used in any subject and at any grade level. The focus is to

have students create a personal connection to what is being taught. An interactive notebook

provides opportunities to incorporate various learning styles as a way to make long-term

connections. As mentioned before, all students learn differently. Some students learn best by

reading and discussing information. Some students learn best when they are able to problem

solve and question concepts. Others will learn best through hands-on activities. It is essential

for teachers to understand the different learning styles, so they can plan meaningful lessons to all

students in the classroom. Gardner (1995) stated, “It has now been established quite

convincingly that individuals have quite different minds from one another. Education ought to

be so sculpted that it remains responsive to these differences.”

 “According to some brain researchers, 99% of what we learn comes to us through our

senses: touching, tasting, hearing, and seeing” (Wist, 2006 as stated by Tileston, 2004).

Many students need more than one way to have information presented. They rely on

various forms of exposure through the senses to learn the information. When a teacher uses

various strategies to help students learn material, both sides of the brain are being used. This

creates a comprehensive understanding of the given content. Wist (2006) affirmed (as stated by

Gagne & Driscoll, 1988), “It is the teacher’s job to plan, design, select and supervise lessons that

can activate student learning and help begin to create that diverse knowledge for life.”

Research Implications

My essential question to guide research was “Do interactive notebooks affect student

achievement in middle school students?” I have learned middle school students need to have a

choice in their learning. Brain research shows both hemispheres of the brain need to be used to

produce information. “While each hemisphere in the brain specializes in different tasks and

abilities, both sides work together and are capable of synthesizing information.” (Wist, 2006)

Interactive notebooks provide a tool that helps categorize and sort information as well as using

strategies to create information that will be stored in a student’s long-term memory. Tileston,

(2004) confirmed

It is important for teachers to understand that learning takes place when the neurons are

changed and affected by the connected dendrite through the synapse. Once the neurons

have been changed and learning has occurred, the information goes into short term

memory. The brain can only hold information in the short term memory for short periods

of time. One of the goals of teachers therefore is to move the information into the
 student’s long-term memory. Once the information enters the brain, teachers have about

15 seconds to move the information to long-term memory before it is discarded. (p. 19)

This is exactly what I am attempting to do in my class. I want to incorporate meaningful

lessons using the interactive notebook, so the students are able to retrieve the information at a

later date. In order to retrieve information or memories, students need to have the information

make it to the brain’s storage sites. Fifteen seconds is a small amount of time to have both sides

of the brain working together to create a storage site for long term memory. I believe it is more

important for a student to be able to retrieve the information for a later date, than to have a

student memorize facts and vocabulary, and a week later not be able to remember what was

recently studied. Wist (2006) acknowledged,

Not only do teachers want students to learn the information but they also want it stored in

long term memory in a manner in which can be retrieved. Retention refers to the process

whereby long-term memory preserves a learning in such a way that it can locate, identify,

and retrieve it accurately in the future. (p. 19)