Over the past few days of reading I have discovered action research will be the driving tool for creating a quality school culture. Partnered with principal inquiry, it will create focused and motivated leaders, administrator and teachers alike, who will develop a sense of ownership in the success of their school. In Leading with Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher, Nancy Fichtman Dana (2009) explains the benefits of action research and principal inquiry. One of the benefits is the principal becomes a role model in their building. She states, “If principals want students and teacher to take learning seriously, if they are interested in building community of learners, they must not only be head teachers, headmasters, or instructional leaders. They must, above all, be head learners.” (pg 13) A second benefit listed is “that engagement in the process can help best practices to flourish at your school.” (pg 13) I am excited to embark on my own action research. I have been wondering if there was a way to take the concepts of Math recovery and apply it to the upper elementary grades that will not only create greater number sense, but I wonder if it will help them to retain and memorize multiplication facts and become better problem solvers. I will be observing two different grade levels during the next few months and through collaboration with educators, collecting data, designing a plan and implementing instruction I hope to gather great information that could strengthen our math instruction and learning.
Why Blog? There are several reasons why educational leaders should use blogs. Some of the main benefits to blogging are collaboration, reflection and sharing research with colleagues. Through blogging and sharing inquiry, will “help you play with, develop, and challenge ideas that have developed about your administrative practice as a result of engaging in inquiry” (Dana; 2009). (pg 150)
