Sunday, July 11, 2010

Take Action

Action research is a way for administrators to stay focused on improvement for their school based on systematic inquiries and data. Action research requires you to make time for the needs of the students and teachers amongst a busy administrators schedule. It keeps it relevant to your school. It's not a study from a university or a consultant from outside the district that does not know your students or your school deciding what is best or a process that is going to work.
With action research, an administrator can take the time to gather information, meet with professional learning communities, reflect, pose questions, collaborate with teachers, students, and community members, develop a plan, set goals, and evaluate the evidence again. This inquiry should happen daily and at every opportunity in order to keep improvement the top priority of the school. There needs to be a systematic, intentional approach to the research or study. Reflecting on yourself and your school will be what leads to the changes that make a difference.
Instead of the traditional model of educational research, action research does not follow the typical "sit and get" approach. Relying on outside "experts" will not produce the most relevant changes and growth needed in your school.

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