Settling on a Subject

In week 2 of my research class, we reviewed the areas of passion for action research in education. It was an interesting experience. It uncovered areas that I hadn't previously considered for action research, like action research on social justice. I had to come up with three possible topics and discuss them with my site supervisor. Unfortunately, the topic that was near and dear to my heart is one that is way too big of a bit to chew. I ended up being practical and choosing an action research topic that flows well with my internship plan: In what ways can access to a literacy library improve student literacy in the K-2 classroom? This is practical for me because I am already the chair of the literacy committe and one of our main tasks is maintaining and encouraging use of the literacy library.

My other two topics, the ones that didn't make the cut, are still important to me and I plan on watching my environment through those goggles this school year. The other two topics are:

• Does improving a student’s reading level positively affect all academic subjects?
• What role do teachers play in positively involving parents in the school or classroom?

I didn't choose the first one because it seems like a given to me, but I certainly would like proof. I do plan on working closer with parents this year after learning so much in the School Community Relations class.

What is Action Research and Why Should I Care?

When you hear the words ‘professional development’ what comes to mind? Do you imagine yourself in a library or presentation room sitting with others like you, absorbing the lesson (or not)? Most people do. Professional development (PD) has certain connotations. It feels like you should be open and receiving what the ‘professionals’ impart. But then something comes out of left field to challenge all those perceptions. It goes by many names, administrator inquiry, action inquiry, and, as I’ll use it here, action research. Action research is when a practitioner, in this case a school administrator, chooses something in his or her work to study in-depth. Through this study, the school leader gains insight about the issue and about him/herself and how he/she reacts to the issue. The idea is to research, reflect, and then take action. The practitioner grows in the process of learning for school improvement. This is professional development at its strongest. To reflect upon a problem and search within and without to find a workable solution is rich and deep growth. That’s why I should care about action research. I want to be able to grow in meaningful ways that serve my school community.