Action
Research Project Title: Teacher/Student Motivation
Number
of AR Project Documented Hours: 30 Hours
AR Project Summary (at least 250 words):
The goal of my action research is to be able to identify successful
motivational techniques, applied by current administrators and teachers, in the
high school setting. Identification of successful motivational techniques used
by administrators to motivate teachers, will help in understanding the
relationship between administrators and teachers. Furthermore, by examining the
administrator/teacher relationships, I hope to identify specific examples of
teachers who have been motivated by their administrators, and how that
motivation directly led to better performance by the students. By analyzing
data collected through a series of surveys and interviews, I hope to gather
crucial information on both teachers and administrators that will, first and
foremost, increase student performance.
After my initial teacher surveys, it became obvious that there are some
teachers that truly understand the psychology of the current generation of
students in their classrooms. However, there are some teachers that still
maintain the old style of teaching, and although there is some success in their
classes, it is my prediction that the teachers that employ a 3D style of
teaching will see a dramatic increase in student performance and in motivation.
I have constructed the surveys and questionnaires that are to be given
to administrators and teachers in order to get a better overall picture of
effective motivational techniques that that they both employ and respond to.
One main point that became a constant throughout the survey construction was
that of effectiveness in methodology. Many teachers do not feel that they need
to learn more about their students. What I find in 3D teachers is that they
enjoy people. The amazing statistic coming from the survey is how easy it is
for teachers to forget that these young students are people, and that they
require motivation.
The timeline is pretty accurate. I will be done by February of 2014 with
all of my findings and effective techniques documented. The plan will go forth
with the implementation of professional development for teachers what it is
that students and administrators feel about effective motivation.
Investigating the realities of the teaching profession through the eyes of an administrator has greatly changed my perspective. I know now that the Principal's job is much greater than I thought, and that many times what can be taken as indifference is quite actually prioritization. The art of being able to make teachers feel that even the smallest improvement or idea is worthy of discussion, even while in the midst of a gargantuan issue.
