When do I get to be the expert?
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Every year there's some new workshop on a magic graphic organizer, discipline strategy, reading instruction technique, data analysis tool, etc. that is heralded as the great panacea for the things that teachers struggle with most.
It's easy as the years go by to grow increasingly convinced that everyone in the world wants to tell you how to teach. And sometimes you find yourself sitting in the back of the library, staring at yet another PowerPoint presentation, wondering what on earth made this person the expert. Well, maybe it's time to consider a little action research so you can be the expert for a change.
You may not notice that as a teacher you are doing research all the time. You are constantly studying best practices, trying new things, revising your hypotheses, assessing your progress, and charting growth - that's just what good teaching entails. But imagine what might happen if you went about your research in a more intentional way, with the goal of making new discoveries that have ramifications beyond the four walls of our your own room.
Consider your career thus far: - Have you made a breakthrough with a struggling student?
- Are you trying to figure out how to get your students to ask more questions?
- Have you found a way to make abstract math concepts tangible?
- Are you trying something new to get in touch with hard-to-reach parents?
- Do you have a particular technique for transitioning that works well for all students?
- Are you looking for your own evidence that hands-on learning activities yield deeper understanding?
You don't have to have all the answers today to become an expert - you just have to know what you want to investigate and then let the tools of research and reflection lead you to new discoveries. Here is a link to an excellent booklet that can get you started.There are many more resources like this listed below.
Whatever you do, consider making it a New Year's resolution to find ways to bring your discoveries to others. You are an education expert but nobody is going to know that unless you start sharing your expertise!
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Where do I begin my research, and where do I go once I've started?
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Consider this list of questions and prompts we use to guide teachers in the beginning of our action research course:
- What is the DILEMMA you've identified as your topic?
- What related SEARCH TERMS will help you find work that others have done in this arena?
- What interesting ideas and strategies have others used to address this dilemma?
- Finish this paragraph: "To address this challenge in my classroom, I decided on the following intervention strategy..."
Check out the questions in this list of action research steps to further guide your exploration.
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Places to Publish
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If you go through the whole process of developing and executing an action research project in your classroom, you should definitely take the final step and find a way to share your work.
One place to consider is the Inspired Teaching Journal. We encourage submissions by March 1 and would be happy to talk through the writing and submission process with you. Email Jenna Fournel (jenna@inspiredteaching.org) to learn more.
You can also check out this list of resources compiled for our action research course.
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Help Spread the Word!
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 Inspired Teaching has begun recruitment for the 2010 class of Inspired Teaching Fellows. You can learn all about our innovative teacher certification program on its website.
Please click on the image above and forward the linked electronic flyer wherever you see fit. Don't hesitate to contact us should you have any questions about this program.
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