Aims-CAP
After completing six Aims probes, I saw growth overall. However, one of the data points (Probe 2), showed a dip overall. I still am wondering why this dip occurred, what was the factor that interfered with their output? Aims-CAP is an assessment that measures students' math concepts and application abilities. On these assessment there is a mix of telling time, elapsed time, fractions, data analysis, story problems and multiplication facts. This probe was given a week after we returned from winter break, which could have been a contributing factor, as they may not have retained the information learned prior to the two week break.
Pre-Test to Post-Test
Knowing that our curriculum is spiraled and that the topics build off each other, if a student does not do as well on a previous topic test, they may not have the building blocks in place required for scaffolding to occur for them to be successful on the following topic tests. This graph shows three different students (a below grade level student, an at grade level student, and an above grade level student.) When analyzing this data I observed that each one of my students improved from their pre-test to their post-test. I can also derive from this data that all three of my students showed growth on their pre-test and post-test scores. This tells me that my students were retaining information from previous topics and applying it to new topics.
This graph displays class averages of topic pre-tests and topic post-tests. After looking at this graph I could see that overall my class improved on their pre-test scores as well as their post-test scores throughout the implementation of Math Workshop.
Interviews
Over the course of the study I conducted interviews in various ways to gauge student comfort levels with topics being learned. Most of my class seemed to love the Math Workshop structure. There were also a few students that did not seem to like the length or different pieces of the Workshop Model. Here are a few of their responses:
"I think math stations are good because it is the right level for me."
"I love math stations because it makes math go by faster."
"I like math rotations because my group is on the same level as me."
"It helps me a lot."
"It is helpful and fun."
"The math worksheet is too boring."
"I wish groups were bigger and had the same number of boys and girls in each group so I had someone to play with."
MAP
MAP is an acronym that stands for Measure of Academic Progress. This assessment is given three times a year (Fall, Winter, and Spring) and is an adaptive test. When analyzing Fall MAP scores to Winter MAP scores, I observed my high quintile went down 14% and my low-average quintile had gained a student. This was concerning as it seemed there was a back sliding trend. At this point I initiated my action research plan. Reflecting on my Spring MAP data, I noticed that my students' average or RIT score went up but they did not make the amount of growth that I would have liked to see. They didn't make enough growth to move them up into higher quintiles. My goal had been to have them all in the average to high ranges, and they all achieved that except for two of my students.
