Update: Action Research Project Status!

I began my action research project as of the second week of school.  For this action research project I am using the Four Blocks of Literacy method in my second grade classroom to see how it affects my students with their independent reading and with their Istation scores (our online reading program that continuously assesses students’ reading progress) as compared to the other second grade classes using our typical method for teaching reading.  I have already done the necessary research to begin this project and collected the data I needed during the first two weeks of school.  I have documented my students’ current Istation scores and have given each of them a fluency probe to determine their beginning levels of reading development.  Currently, I am using the new schedule that I created during the summer for the four blocks method.  My current English Language Arts and Reading schedule is as follows: Phonics instruction for 30-45 minutes, Reading mini-lesson and practice for 30 minutes, Writing mini-lesson and practice for 30 minutes, Literacy Stations and Small Group for 30-45 minutes, and Independent Reading Time and Reader’s Conferences for 15-30 minutes.  It took practice and determination to get myself used to this new schedule and new way of teaching, but I feel very comfortable with it now and am definitely seeing the difference in their independent reading and hope to see their Istation scores improve once they are assessed again in the next few weeks.  I am enjoying my action research project and though it has been difficult at times to keep with the schedule and with the instruction, I am determined to see this through to the end and know that it will be worth it.