Abstract
More than ever, the challenges facing Catholic schools and Catholic school leaders require a “readiness to renew and adapt” (Vatican Council II, 1965). The skills and dispositions developed through applied action research—inquiry that is systematic, practitioner-driven, and change oriented—are integral to the formation of teachers and leaders who will meet these challenges head on and strengthen Catholic schools for generations to come. The following action research project was conducted by a Catholic school leader who is a recent graduate of the Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program at the University of Notre Dame. The article you will read is one product of the comprehensive, four-course action research sequence that is a hallmark of the Remick Leadership Program, and is discussed in greater detail in the focus section overview. As you read on, you will notice that action research is highly contextualized—responsive to the specific needs in a particular school community—but also reflective of the broader educational research literature, and the rich traditions and teachings of our Catholic faith. We hope this action research inquiry informs your own practice, and inspires you to pursue mission driven and data informed leadership practices to bring about positive change in your own school or community.Nearly 90% of intermediate and middle school students from low-income families in the United States are not proficient in reading. This action research project used a quasi-experimental design to determine the effectiveness of a multi-component reading intervention program for students in grades four through eight at Mother of Sorrows Catholic School in Los Angeles, California. The study analyzed standardized measures for fluency, word study, and reading comprehension. It also examined the program’s influence on student perceptions of reading. Data analysis indicated that all five grades achieved a statistically significant increase between pretest and posttest scores for all three areas of reading. In addition, students were able to make comparable gains regardless of their initial performance above or below grade level.
Highlights
90% of intermediate and middle school students from low-income families in the United States are not proficient in reading
Ninety percent of fourth grade students and 89% of eighth grade students who qualify for the National School Lunch Program read below grade level (National Center for Education Statistics, 2010)
Students (n=21) who performed more than two years below grade level on the initial GatesMacGinitie Reading Test (GMRT) comprehension assessment were given small group after-school instruction by the classroom teacher or reading instructor beginning in mid-October
Summary
Catholic social teaching refers to the social message of the Gospel as it is articulated through papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents. The studies in the analyses, focused primarily on narrative texts To address this concern, Edmonds et al (2009) recommended that reading comprehension strategies be applied in all content-area classes throughout the day, ensuring numerous opportunities for application to expository texts. In their final explanation for student performance on standardized measures, Edmonds et al (2009) suggested that students who require interventions often read below grade level standards. In response to the Church’s social teachings, Catholic schools have a moral imperative to implement programs that will support the needs of marginalized students To maximize their effectiveness, these programs must be informed by research. The interventions provided in this action research project were chosen on these tenets and are explained in greater detail
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