Assignment form: Implementation Plan

Name: Christina Fout

Date: 2/3/16
Course Number/Titles: MAT718 21st Century Teaching and Learning Styles

Implementation of Action
Implementation plan must include strategies that are new to the teacher and are
derived directly from the course.
Problem Statement:
Baseline Data:

The students in my classroom have a

constant need to be moving or fidgeting to
keep their brains engaged. In my regular
classroom chairs are continuously banging
on the ground, students are standing up
constantly and fidgeting is nonstop. From
my observations, the chairs are a distraction
from the learning that should be taking
place and they do not stimulate the
students brains.
I have 9 students with ADHD and all 9 of
them are on a behavior plan. On average, I
write about 3 referrals a week caused by off
task behavior that leads to other problems.
I believe that the first step to solving this
problem is differentiating the classroom
environment. A 2009 study published in
the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
demonstrated that children, especially those
with attention deficit-hyperactivity
disorder, tend to move around more when
they are using working memory to solve
problems. The upshot is that fidgety
behavior in children may look like
distraction but can actually facilitate the
learning process by helping them maintain
focus (2013). I believe that implementing
alternative seating in my classroom will
eliminate the off task behaviors and an
observational assessment will measure
whether or not it succeeded.

Measurable

The goals for my action research project

Goals

are the following:

Professional Goal
The teacher will implement alternative
seating in the classroom. Students will
choose between regular seats, pillows,
yoga balls and bean bags. This will
allow students choices as well as keep
my ADHD students constantly
stimulated and eliminate off task
behaviors.
The teacher will conduct a daily
behavior assessment to see patterns or
changes in off task behaviors.
Learner Goal
The learners goal is to be more
activity engaged in classroom lessons.
Being more engaged in the lessons will
increase student achievement in the long
run.

Outcomes
and planned
artifacts

I expect the following to occur:

Professional Outcomes
1. The teacher will arrange the room with
the new alternative seating plan. Students
will be allowed to select their new seat
every morning. That will be there seat for
the entire day.
Success Criterion: The success will be
determined by student opinion.
Planned Artifact: Results of a student
satisfaction survey given before and after
the implementation of the action research
2. The amount of referrals written each
week by teacher will be eliminated
completely.
Success Criterion: The amount of referrals
that are typed into our referral system.
Planned Artifact: Referrals

Learner Outcomes
1. The students will be actively engaged
during every classroom lesson.
Success Criterion: The teacher will
conduct an observational assessment to
record off task disruptive behaviors.
Planned Artifact: Observational Assessment
2. The students will increase their success
on our school wide NWEA assessment in
math and reading.
Success Criterion: The students took the
NWEA assessment in January. After
implementing alternative seating for 8
weeks I will administer the test again.
Success will be determined by a 2-3 point
growth in their scores.
Planned Artifact: Math and reading scores
on NWEA assessment

Specific Procedures
/Solutions & Timeline

To achieve my goals, I will Research cited:

do the following:
A 2009 study published in
Before research begins I will
the Journal of Abnormal
give my students the
Arrange classroom in a
Child Psychology
satisfaction survey about
manner that in conducive to demonstrated that children,
their current seats. I will also learning.
especially those with
conduct an observational
attention deficitassessment for 1 week
Properly teach expectations hyperactivity disorder, tend
documenting all of the off
so ensure that alternative
to move around more when
task behaviors in my
seating runs smoothly
they are using working
classroom.
memory to solve problems.
Record all observations on The upshot is that fidgety
Before I can begin I must set a daily basis
behavior in children may
up my classroom. I will have
look like distraction but can
4 yoga balls, 4 bean bag
Give the pre and post
actually facilitate the
chairs, 4 low desks with
satisfaction survey and
learning process by helping
pillow, 4 regular desks, and
compare and contrast
them maintain focus
4 standing desks.
results
(2013).

Week 1:
The process will begin by
explaining my expectations
to the students. They must
come in and select their seat
for the day. They cannot
switch seats and they will
lose their seat if they are not
being responsible.
Week 2-3:
Continue with instruction as
usual. Continue to do daily
observational assessment.
Week 4:
At the end of the week I will
conduct my post student
satisfaction survey

Then in 2003, a study was

published in the American
Journal of Occupational
Therapy concluding that in
students with ADHD,
sitting on therapy balls
improved behavior and
legible word productivity.
In other words, students
using ball chairs were able
to sit still, focus and write
more words clearly.
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
seconded those findings in
2007 with a study on the
benefits of a chairless
classroom. In the Mayo
study, which focused on
improving learning and
reducing obesity by making
children more active,
researchers found that the
ability to move around
more while sitting made the
students more attentive.
Mayo Clinic
communications consultant
Bob Nellis told the
Minneapolis-St. Paul Star
Tribune that he believes
this is because kids are able
to burn off excess energy
by bouncing on a ball.
(Lynch)

References
Alternative Seating for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder:Effects on
Classroom Behavior. (n.d.). Retrieved January 27, 2016, from http://www.therabandacademy.com/elements/clients/docs/schilling2004ball__201012DD_104043.pdf
Book Review: A Birds-Eye View of Life with ADD and AD/HD | ADDitude - ADHD &
LD Adults and Children. (n.d.). Retrieved January 27, 2016, from
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd-web/article/584.html
DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION Dr Hallowell ADHD and mental and cognitive health.
(n.d.). Retrieved January 27, 2016, from http://www.drhallowell.com/books/drivento-distraction-recognizing-and-coping-with-attention-deficit-disorder-fromchildhood-through-adulthood/
Effect of Therapy Ball Seating on Learning and Sitting Discomforts among Saudi Female
Students. (n.d.). Retrieved January 27, 2016, from
file:///C:/Users/c_fou/Downloads/153165.pdf
Exercise Ball vs. Desk Chair - The New York Times. (n.d.). Retrieved January 27, 2016,
from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/health/21really.html?_r=0
Forget the neat rows of desks, Michigan Center students stay on task in alternative
seating. (n.d.). Retrieved January 27, 2016, from
http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2014/12/forget_the_neat_rows_of_de
sks.html
How Sitting on a Balance Ball Helps Kids Do Better In School | Gaiam Life. (n.d.).
Retrieved January 27, 2016, from http://life.gaiam.com/article/how-sitting-ballhelps-kids-focus-and-do-better-school
Six Alternative Seating Options in the Classroom for a Child with Special Needs. (n.d.).
Retrieved January 27, 2016, from
http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2014/11/03/six-alternative-seatingarrangements-for-a-child-with-special-needs/
(Alternative Seating for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder:Effects on
Classroom Behavior, n.d., Book Review: A Birds-Eye View of Life with ADD and
AD/HD | ADDitude - ADHD & LD Adults and Children, n.d., DRIVEN TO
DISTRACTION Dr Hallowell ADHD and mental and cognitive health, n.d., Effect of
Therapy Ball Seating on Learning and Sitting Discomforts among Saudi Female
Students, n.d., Exercise Ball vs. Desk Chair - The New York Times, n.d., Forget the
neat rows of desks, Michigan Center students stay on task in alternative seating, n.d.,
How Sitting on a Balance Ball Helps Kids Do Better In School | Gaiam Life, n.d., Six
Alternative Seating Options in the Classroom for a Child with Special Needs, n.d.)