Week 2: Selecting an Action Research Topic

I have three ideas for my action research:


1. What is the relationship between changing a veteran teacher’s grade-level assignment and getting her out of a rut? Discuss with teachers who have been teaching fifteen or more years the changes and improvements they have seen in the school, in students, and in the curriculum since beginning their careers. Ask: How have you changed over the course of your careers as our school, our students, and our curriculum have evolved? What changes /school improvement efforts do you hope for in the future? What types of support are important for you to receive from the principal as you continue to tackle change and improvement and take on leadership roles in the building?

2. How are benchmarks used to evaluate the success of students at school? How do benchmarking and the TAKS affect the curriculum? How much time do teachers and students spend in preparing for the testing? How are students being prepared in the “pre-TAKS” tested grades?

3. In what ways can our school develop a collaborative culture characterized by teachers from different grade levels communicating, understanding, and sharing expectations for all students? In what ways can the principal facilitate this process?

I will have to discuss these with my site supervisor before I make a decision.  This process of inquiry will benefit many.