I am learning how to be a principal, and I am learning how to do Action Research! I have to admit that I have dreaded this class known as EDLD 5301 Research simply because of the name of the course. I have never been a fan of doing research. My idea of research has always been having to go to the library, look at numerous books, look for important information, make notecards, create a works cited page, and write a research paper on a topic that I typically had not interest in what so ever! Since this was my long standing idea of research, this course scared me to death!
After reading all of the assigned pages for this week, I have come to have greater interest in this new concept known as Action Research. In fact, I have discovered that I have been doing action research without even knowing that I was doing it. My campus has been doing action research for some time now. We have Leadership teams and PLCs that meet regularly to discuss problems and questions on our campus and devise plans to solve these problems or ways to answer questions that we have.
This year, my campus wanted to find a way to make early morning time more productive and educational. In the past, students that arrived at school before the first bell rang, went to the gym and watched a movie. Teachers REALLY did not enjoy having early morning duty in the gym because it was often loud, lots of children, dark, and chaotic. We all dreaded the weeks we were on duty! Our Leadership team which is comprised of grade chairs from all grades (Pre-K - 4th), the principal, asssitant principal, and special classroom teachers (Special ed, Dyslexia, & PE). We met numerous times to discuss ideas to make this better. We finally agreed on a plan. We implemented the plan, and met often to look at how the plan was going. We have made changes to the plan throughout the year and have even agreed on what will be done next year.
Over all, I have learned that not only have I already participated in some action research, I have come to be excited about doing action research throughout this course and for many years to come. I was also excited to discover that one of the activities that my site administrator has planned for me to do this next year, will also serve as my idea for my action research plan. I feel that action research will be extremely beneficial for me as a teacher and as a future principal. I feel that I can use action research in my campus with my team teachers as well as with my students in my classroom.
My team teachers and I can use action research to find ways to improve our teaching of grade level student expectations. There are always those certain SEs that are a challenge to teach and for students to comprehend. Action research can be a way for use to find ways to better teach these concepts.
Action research can also be a valuable tool to be used in my classroom. I think that having my students and I use action research to determine ways to solve and improve things that happen within our four walls, can help to make our learning together better. When people have a vested interest in a topic and are able to participate in the action taken, the outcome and findings can serve as a learning experience for all involved.
I have learned that Action research is a systematic process that I will be going through in order to find answers to a question or problem I have. My plan for my action research is to find ways to improve the teaching, learning, and retaining of math facts in grades 2 through 4 on my campus. This has been a huge problem, and one that I so desperately want to find a solution to. I want to find ways that are fun and exciting for my students.
I am excited to get started with my plan and look forward to learning more about action research throughout this course!
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