Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Action Research
This week I've been able to give a new name to something that to some extent I've already been doing for a long time. As an educator I am constantly identifying problems, looking up solutions, asking other professionals for help, then implementing something new and reevaluating. This is essentially action research. Action research requires one to be self evaluative, and honest with oneself in order to grow and improve. One of the ways that I plan to use action research this year is to realign our math instruction in our grade level. Our curriculum is set by the district, but the ways that we implement it is up for interpretation. I want to work with changing the way we group students for interventions and hone in on differentiation strategies. If we want all students to grow, we have to find a way to meet each student at their level. I believe that my team will be supportive and bring ideas to the table to help us plan our differentiation strategies and above all implement them with validity.
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Hi Diana, I like your interpretation of action research. I feel the same way. I have done it over and over and yet I didn't realize it had a name except good teaching! I too am a math teacher but at the 5th grade level. Several years ago our math specialist on our camp realigned our objectives and it has made my world so much easier. The biggest benefit is when students come from another campus in our district because the student has been taught in the same order of objectives. Another benefit is the learning community it affords me with other 5th grade math teachers in my district. We have our students change classes in the 4th and 5th grade so I am the only math teacher on my team so I am glad to have the other campus math teachers to collaborate with through out the year. I know this is not going to be an easy undertaking but I you will be so thankful when it is over! Good luck!
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