Week 2 Reflection

As an educator now a-days there is so much pressure.  We are faced with less funds and all the accountability.  I find myself thinking how are we going to reach all these goal "people" set before us.  It can be a very overwhelming thing to think about and can make you feel just plain sick!  After week 2 of this course I am feeling better.  I am realizing that there are answers out there!  We need to stop and start wondering and inquiring about our problems.  We then can devise a plan to tackle the many hurdles we have in education.  I am learning just how important research is.  My eyes are seeing what research truly means and how to do it.  Thank you Dr. Abshire for opening my eyes!

How Educational Leaders Might Use Blogs

Blogs are an amazing resource for educational leaders.  Blogs are vehicles for networking and collaboration between professionals.  Blog also makes distance a non issue with networking.  Leaders from all over the world can discuss and share research with each other.  Through collaboration and networking you are able to think deeper and get many others input and recommendations.

Action Research Reflection

I have started studying action research this week.  It has been an eye opening process.  I am so excited to implement action research in my professional life.  Action research takes the research out of the outside researchers hands and puts it in the practitioners hands.  This allows the practitioner to be reflective and see things that he or she may not normally see.  Taking the time to step back, pose questions, network with other professional and look at data fosters continuous school and professional improvement.  I am excited to implement PLCs at my school.  We already have data meetings with the grade level and administration; I would like to try to make it more structured and meaningful.  I am going to meet with my site mentor to see if she would allow me to try to start a PLC with my grade level during the data team time.  I feel that my administrators vision for a data team is very similar to a PLC.  I feel strongly that if we implement protocols to ensure focus, and deliberate dialogue we will   have more meaningful meetings.  I am excited and vested in improving our meetings we already have.  I feel with a little  guidance and structure we are well on our way to becoming a "learning organization."