Action Research Gets Results

As a principal, action research is vital to the success of your school.  Principals are able to have a “finger on the pulse” approach to achieving changes at their school.  This approach in itself will get some results going.  Action Research is a cyclical cycle that has a systematic process to solving issues and making changes happen at a school. This is why management is able to try it right away.  There is a plan for them to follow.  The plans involve:

·       A question, concern or problem is raised by the principal to their leadership team.    Principals collaborate with teachers and their leadership team to gain insights on the need and discover new ideas on how to solve problems and reach the vision. 

·      The initial question involves data and specifics about what the school wants to improve or change.  A clear concise open ended question is formed around the original idea for change that everyone will clearly understand.  

·       Studying, research, and brainstorming takes place to initiate a process to get the action going.

·       The plan is put into place with monitoring, adjusting, and reflecting happening all the time.  Necessary adjustments are made based on assessments along the way to use as checkpoints to analyze how the process is going.

·      Results are analyzed and compared to the original vision.  Reflection takes place in the end by every involved. 

This process enables all parties to collaborate and receive individual job embedded professional development.  Ideas and changes are put into place.   Reflection occurs to see if the vision was met and adjustments are made if necessary.  The process starts over with a new initiative or with an adjustment to the previous initiative.

As an instructional coach and a member of the leadership team on my campuses, action research is something I can use right away with my teachers. I can start the process of teachers wanting to improve their instruction based on data.  The teachers can formulate a plan and the process can begin.  I am also planning to do my research project on the idea of raising the math scores of students who failed the TAKS test last year.  The initial approach has already been put into place.  We are trying a “Math Lab” concept at my campus for the first time this year.  Last year, we had a “Math Block” concept for helping the students.