Week 2: Learning from the Experts

If it isn't meaningful (with a strong element of fun) I'm more than likely not to pursue it. After successfully creating a blog (last week) and downloading a picture (this week) I feel that I am somewhat on my way to figuring this thing out! Two important things I learned this week are: 1) I should choose a topic that will hold my attention and 2) the subject needs to be doable.

This week I listened to a couple of scholars who had some great advice on the importance of action research. Dr. Chargois, Director of Research, Planning and Development in Beaumont, ISD believes that we, as educators, must be action research orientated. This is a 180 degree change from my belief that research was something that scholars did. Instead, I become the reseracher and it is imperative that I learn how to conduct action research in my classroom if I want to be an effective teacher. I especially like his saying, "If you are green, you are growing!" Yes, I feel very green!

The second scholar, Dr. Kirk Lewis, Superintendent, Pasadena ISD, believes in the importance of data driven instruction. He requires for teachers in his district to be able to look at data from a class objective standpoint and how it translates to individual students. He is a proponent of pulling data from other school districts that have similar characteristics such as demographics, academic needs, etc. and pull from their research findings. It goes back to the old adage, "Why reinvent the wheel?"

After completing my week 2 assignment for my research course, I feel like I'm gaining confidence as I begin to narrow down my many wonderings on what to research. After meeting with my site supervisor, and pondering my own passions, I am interested in researching what my principal calls "student connectedness" within the peremeters of our middle school. I am wondering: How can our middle school campus monitor and foster student connectedness within our economically disatvantaged students? How does their involvement in school based opportunities to be connected compare to other economically disatvantaged students not involved as far as grades, behaviors, etc.

Well, my brain is on overload but I am anxious to learn more about the nuts and bolts of how to do action research as I begin a new week.