I chose the focus on my project because PBIS was something new to my school this year. At the beginning of the school year our meetings and discussions related to this topic were filled with tension. As the school year continued, many teachers mentioned that they felt this was just "one more thing," no difference was noticed in their classroom or their students, etc. After becoming interested in this program through my readings and feeling that it could be a great way to improve our school culture if we just figured out a way to implement it more consistently and with a more positive outlook, I thought it would an appropriate topic for my action research.
As I am finishing my project and looking over the data, one thing I am looking towards is next year. We have already begun discussion at leadership meeting and staff meetings related to next school year. Who will be in what grade level? Who is moving where? etc. Next year is now in our sights. So now that we are talking about and thinking about next year, I am thinking about what is next? As I am looking through my data and my conclusions from my project, as well as the readings that I did related to this topic, I am thinking about, how can this be helpful next year? What have I learned that could possibly be helpful to the school as a whole? I am hoping that my data, notes, observations, and readings will provide me with valuable information that I can bring to my leadership team as we begin to plan and figure out how PBIS will look next year. The great thing is, everyone at the school has been in some way implementing this program. Although it may not have been formal, there was a lot of action research occurring informally around the school. While it was new, many of the teachers were trying to follow the school's plan and also make it work in their own classroom. I am looking forward to seeing what others have been trying and seeing how my data and research can help with planning for next year. It is exciting to feel like my project was helpful to me but also could be in some way helpful to my school community as well.
I am the In-School Coach of my school's PBIS Committee. We have also struggled to implement the program, because the teachers and our administration do not fully understand the program or see the benefits. Next year, the entire county is going to be implementing the program, so I feel your action research could be a big help. I cannot wait to hear about the results of your data!
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