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Finally, this week I was able to completely wrap my head around what topic I wanted to select for my action research project. I struggled with finding a topic that was relevant to my job as an athletic director. I was trying to kill to birds with one stone. Please pardon that lame expression. However, as I sat with my mentor and went over ideas, I realized that my initial topics were not specific enough to be considered an appropriate action research topic. Therefore, I was enlightened by my mentor's suggestion to lead the action research topic regarding intervention blocks. Although, this topic was not even on my radar, I felt invested and ready to begin the process. I was able to directly link "intervention block" to athletics because I have a large number of students who struggle to stay eligible. In this week's reading I was able to relate the information about the nine areas of passion to my action research topic. Although, the nine areas of passion are interchangeable, the area of social justice really spoke to me regarding my topic. My school has an extremely high number of free and reduced lunch participants. I feel that I have good handle on the struggles and lifestyle my students face, because I was around it throughout my life. Many of my students come from broken homes and their parents are struggling to make ends meet. Drugs and alcohol are pertinent in their daily lives and the list goes on. I truly believe athletics can teach life skills and give hope to kids. However, these kids that need athletics the most are struggling to keep their grades afloat. Therefore, athletic participation is low and these at-risk students sooner or later move further away from sports. I hope to see a significant change in the data implicating that less students are receiving less D's and F's on their quarter report cards.
Joe - I too work in a similar school. I completely agree with you that school programs whether athletics or creative arts is a vital part of these students being able to find their niche. However, being a coach myself, grades do play a major factor in their isolation from being able to participate. I worked in a high school in Tennessee that had these types of "intervention blocks" for these students. It was and continues to be very successful to be the best of my knowledge. I am looking forward to seeing how the plan materializes. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteJoe as an AD one of the things that I have done to improve grades ion our campus is to have year round mandatory tutorials for freshmen. I wanted to get them on the right track during their first year of high school and hopefully get their priorities straight. We would have these mandatory tutorials every Tuesday and Thursday of the 2nd -6th six weeks after school for 30 minutes. All practices would cease for them and they would go to the locker room and change shoes get their backpacks and go to class. To ensure that they went, the 9th coaches would be assigned to a specific hallway. After tutorials they would then go back to practice. It made for some long Tuesdays but the end result was a better passing rate.Thursdays are better suited for this because they are game days.
ReplyDeleteHey Joe,
ReplyDeleteAs a former college athlete we were required to attend "study hall" 2 times a week. And I will say that without that required study hall I probably would not have passed some classes! I didn't have to study in High School to pass and once I got to college that was a hard lesson to learn! I think high school students need to be TAUGHT how to study, even if it's to pass current high school courses or to possibly prepare them better for college. Now, your student athletes will need this intervention not only to keep them eligible for sports, but if they want to use sports to pay for college (which was the only way I could afford to go to college) then not only will this time be valuable for them in the present but also the future! Look forward to seeing the improvement in student scores that I'm sure you will see. Main thing to consider: the QUALITY of intervention they are getting and making sure that it's focused and purposeful! Good luck!!
Joe, I will definitely keep track of your project. I was also struggling to find a project that would benefit my program, and am researching a similar subject. I am trying to find the best software, app, program, etc. that I can use to monitor my students' grades throughout the semester to keep them eligible to perform and eligible for their scholarships. If you have any suggestions for me let me know...I am revamping my blog tonight and adding my plan, any help will be greatly appreciated.
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