Narrative Statement for Next Year's Research

Research Study - How can I differentiate content, lessons and standards-based assessment in mathematics classes so all students make academic growth?

1.  I will be researching the effects of differentiation in mathematics classes. The purpose of this study is to meet the needs of all 4th grade mathematics students in my school. I will begin collecting data from the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year until the second MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) test is completed in early February 2012.

• My plan is to create binders for each math unit using three levels of content and instruction for each lesson.
• Standards-based assessment charts will be used to help students monitor their achievement of each standard.
• Opportunities for reteaching and retesting will be available for all math standards.
• ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces) online computer instruction will be provided for students who achieve at the 95th-99th percentile on the MAP test.
• After the first MAP test, Enrichment Math Parties will be held on Tuesday and/or Thursday nights after school. These parties will be open to all students who accept an invitation to complete packets of individualized instruction.
• Online instruction in the form of YouTube lessons will be made available on my class website.
• Class practice tests, problems and explanations will also be available online and in hard copy form.
• Everyday Math Games, games related to RIT (Rasch Unit) scores, and other online instructional games will be available on my class website.
• Questionnaires will be given to students at the beginning, middle and end of data collection period.
• I will add a weekly reflection regarding math instruction onto my lesson plans.

2.  Data from classroom testing, MAP testing, student questionnaires and teacher reflections will be used to form results. My students are 9-and-10-year-old fourth graders. There are currently three students with learning disabilities out of 46 students. Most students are Caucasian.

3.  My parent/guardians will not receive a written notification of informed consent since I will not complete the research for publication.