I listened to all three scholar practitioners’ videos and I selected Dr. Johnny Briseno, Principal of Rancho Isabella Elementary, in Angleton ISD and Dr. Timothy Chargois, Director of Research, Planning, and Development in Beaumont ISD. The title of Dr. Johnny Briseno’s research was “The Effective Practices and Beliefs of School Principals in High Achieving Hispanic Majority Mid- Level Schools”. During Dr. Briseno’s research, he used several action inquiries to complete his action research. He utilized some of the following questions as topics for his action research.
1. In what ways do school principals of high achieving majority Hispanic schools account for the socioeconomic status of their students?
2. In what ways do principals of schools with high achieving majority Hispanic students involve parents in the educational process?
3. What are the actions of principals that have a direct impact on Hispanic academic achievement?
4. What strategies do principals of high achieving majority Hispanic schools use to establish a culture of success?
This qualitative study investigated the effective practices and beliefs of principals in high achieving majority Hispanic mid-level schools. The research findings from this study affirmed that passionate principals who are involved, engaged, and led by example were able to transcend the social and economic barriers that separated them from their students and achieved success. Other findings from his research included the importance of building relationships with Briseño’s 292 students and recognizing these needs and then meeting these needs. Further, findings from principals in this study emphasized the importance of and he used this quote from Covey, Merrill, & Merrill “keeping the main thing, the main thing” (Covey, Merrill, & Merrill, 1994). He stated that principals supported teachers in focusing on the importance of academic success in school for all students. Based on the findings from face-to-face interviews, specific conclusions are discussed in terms of the research questions that guided the study. Briseno felt that his study provided insight into the effective practices and beliefs of principals in high achieving Hispanic majority schools and through the process of his research, he was really enlightened to the practical methods of educating all students. As he interviewed the principals in his study, it was apparent that they truly believed in and cared about their students. Each of the principals’ approach in student-centered leadership was refreshing. What Briseno was most impressed with was the fact that principals in this study did not tolerate excuses for lack of student success. They each led with high expectations and accepted nothing less than a student’s best effort. He found from his study that this type of leadership will eventually close the achievement gap among all students.
The second scholar practitioner video that I listened to was Dr. Timothy Chargois’ research video. The title of Dr. Chargois’ research was “Student Achievement: Identification of Impact Variables”. Dr. Chargois’ study investigated the differences that independent variables such as
school size, class size, ethnicity, gender, and teacher years of experience had on fifth
grade 2007 TAKS math and reading results. The main purpose of his quantitative experimental study was to investigate the following questions when controlling for low socio-economic status (SES) at elementary campuses in an experimental district located in southeast Texas. His action inquiry was to research and identify the differences among the following groups: (1) school size, (2) class size, (3) ethnicity, (4) gender, and (5) a teacher’s years of experience with respect to Grade 5 TAKS math and reading scores at elementary campuses in the experimental district.
Dr. Chargois concluded from his research that there were that there were variables that impacted student performance that these variables continue to be important. He completed research to show that the use of TAKS math and reading tests used to measure student performance and
its disparate impact on African American and did not score as high as other subgroups. While analyzing fifth grade TAKS math and reading results, school size, class size, ethnicity, gender, and teacher experience appeared to have a significant impact on student achievement. African American students performed poorer on these fifth grade high stakes assessments at a higher rate than any other subgroup. Asian students outperformed all other groups in the areas of TAKS math and reading. White students outperformed all groups on both TAKS math and reading with the exception of Asians. Hispanic students had the lowest performance of all groups with the exception of African Americans. Additionally, school and class size impacted
student performance. In this study, teacher experience impacted student performance
along with ethnicity. Overall, students in the experimental district benefited from placement in
schools with a population of 400-699; where class size was 16-19, and from teachers
with 6-10 years of experience with respect to Grade 5 TAKS math and reading
achievement.
Reflection - What I learned from these scholars:
Both of these men’s research was enlightening. It was interesting to find that in Briseno’s research he used interviews with principals for a collaborative effort to gather information about varying principals’ approaches for student success. I was impressed to find that Dr. Briseno found that each of the principals that he interviewed use an approach of student-centered leadership and did not tolerate excuses for lack of student success. Each principal led with high expectations and accepted nothing less than a student’s best effort. He felt that from his study that this type of leadership will eventually close the achievement gap among all students.
. It was interesting to find that in Chargois’ research school size and class size definitely impacted student performance in the fifth grade TAKS math and reading achievement. It appeared that students benefited from a school population size of 400-699 and that when class sizes were smaller and in the range of 16-19, student achievement was greater. He also found that when the teacher’s experience level of 6-10 years of experience that the student achievement was greater. Scholarly research can definitely pay off for students. With research findings, we can use the results for greater student and teacher success. When we share ideas collaboratively and reach research goal, it ultimately results in helpful and beneficial methods to help our school campuses be the best that they can be.
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