Better Late Than Never!

OK I've just figured out I posted the wrong thing last week. I neglected to put my Action Research on my blog..... Here it is, please post comments.

https://acrobat.com/#d=qaKX*Oa-jDT15trcfMXDSA

COLLOBORATION & REFLECTION

I think the most important parts of an Action Research Plan is the collaboration and the reflection parts. Change must never be done because someone thinks change is necessary or simply to change things, change must always happen because the change will make a situation better. To ensure a smooth change, your stakeholders must "buy-in" to the change; this buy-in is encouraged when you ask and receive collaboration from your faculty and staff. Therefore, collaboration is vital to a successful implementation of the Action Research Plan.

Reflection is other important part of an Action Research Plan. Every step of the plan must be thought out thoroughly to avoid any potential pitfalls that might exist to thwart and impede the plan. Reflection is also important to an administrator as it helps the administrator (or anybody for that matter) a "do-over."

Overwelmed!

I have been feeling overwhelmed this week. I started this course on the same day that I began teaching AFTER having my teaching assignment and classroom location completely changed the Friday before we started school. To top it off I have 165 students and I swear I have every special student with an IEP AND a BIP! I am really feeling like I have bitten off too much this time. My idea for an action research project is to try and increase parent/guardian involvement, especially the involvement level of the parents of our lower socio-economic and/or minority students. I feel like these groups tend to be the ones who are most often overlooked. I have heard other schools discuss parent training program so that parents can help their students with their homework, even though this might be more applicable at lower grades, I still feel parent training would be beneficial for the parents of secondary students. I just wish we could more parents who often feel they are not good enough to volunteer or help involved in our positive school activities, instead of just discipline or academic problems. I really feel positive interaction would increase student performance, if only because parents would be more knowledgeable about what their student is doing.

Using Blogs

Blogging is an exciting new concept for education; blogs are beneficial for educational leaders. Nothing is more helpful to an educator than the ability to air problems to others and gather together others insights in an effort to resolve problems. I cannot count the number of times I have attended a workshop and come away with more help from discussions with other educators, than the actual information contained in the workshop. Imagine having the same discussion on a daily basis with educators from all over the state and even further afield.

Action Research

Action research is an exciting concept for administrators. All of us have been involved in school organizations where the latest expert is called in to analyze how we are doing, our actions are then analyzed, and directions are provided regarding ways in which we could “better” perform our jobs. However, often times this expert advice is ill received as we see these experts as outsiders and not knowledgeable about what we do on a daily basis. Due to this perception, stakeholders, myself included, are often unlikely to “buy in” to the change being mandated. We are often forced to implement change, and since we do not believe the change is necessary (even if it really is,) we become antagonistic regarding any change.

Action research will challenge this mindset. Action research and inquiry requires that administrator (or whoever is conducting the research) become ACTIVE in their inquiry. A problem or challenge must be stated, pertinent questions developed, data regarding the questions researched, stakeholders are interviewed regarding feelings and perceptions on the challenge faced, and viable solutions are discussed and explained before implementation. Then, because every nook and cranny regarding the challenge or problem was investigated, implementation will be accepted by stakeholders; stakeholders will want to implement the changes requested as they been kept abreast of the ongoing investigation and feel fully informed. Only with action inquiry, can a school or a district really make concrete changes that will improve the school itself for all stakeholders.