What I learned in week two 5301

I learned that the best thing that the best thing that makes a school, is not a program, policy, or standard, but people. If you have good people in your school, then your school will be top quality regardless of your program goals. This view is echoed by Todd Whitaker (2003) when he asserts that “It is people, not programs that determine the quality of the school” (pg. 8). I look forward therefore to not only learning a lot, but also becoming a better person to do so.

Blogs for Educators

For some time now, Technology has enabled great strides to be made for Educators. What once was an era were the only way Educators could learn was via workshops. Now Blogging, Webinars, and various other methods are at the disposal of the Educator to get work done and learn. Some of this kind of learning can take place on the blog. It may be something simple like learning the importance of Action Research. It might be directing an Educator or Administrator to resources to help resolve issues (i.e. school uniforms, bullying, etc.) In any case, what once was resisted by the immergence of the Internet has now become a remarkable tool to help better Educators and our students as well.

What have I learned and how can I use Action Research?

I have learned the following things from Action Research. First, that it is unlike any other research method. The fact that the Principal can work with his peers instead of experts from outside the profession is of immense importance for two reasons. It drives the Principal from out of his or her isolation in the school and gives her chances to interact with the readings and conversations of other “workers in the trenches” that have done what he/she has done and has changed schools as a result. The second reason why Action Research through peers helps the Principal is because the Principal gets the chance to change his/her own School.

After all, being a Principal is not just about accepting the status quo to help students, but constantly moving forward to find ways to help kids through inquiring and asking questions to make them better and helping the  School staff make sure they get there. This by the way is a point made by Mark Bracewell (2007) a veteran inquirer and administrator, who states that inquiry “must be done because you have to do it. If your kids are going to excel… you’ve got to look at what they’re doing. Where are they, where do they need to be, how do we get them there? That’s essentially what inquiry is” (Dana, 2009, pg. 15). This is how I will use Action Research, through asking my predecessors and various other “tried and true” Educators what they have done and how I can implement or improve on what was said  or written by these Educators.

1st post

New Blogger. I am doing it for school but perhaps I need to expand my horizions a bit. Maybe I will learn something new!!