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CHART 3 shows the Action Research projects carried out between late September and late November, 1997, by Shelley, Anita, and Anita's co-researcher.

Anita carried out her role as critical friend by e-mail, and her reporting in separate columns helps to illustrate how one can work with another teacher in the "critical friend" role. Anita will complete her chart after having face-to-face meetings with her co-researcher later in December 1997.

Shelley's efforts to better understand the potential of her role as supply (substitute) teacher will be of interest to all who have experienced that very unique role.

The chart has 10 rows, beginning with two rows of "descriptive information." The remaining 8 rows are intended to illustrate the possible development of an action research project.

We hope that the presentation of three projects at once will facilitate comparisons and an understanding of the diversity and flexibility of learning about one's teaching through action research.

 

Shelley

Anita’s co-researcher

Anita

 Role

Full time M.Ed.

Occasional supply teacher

PP. - Principal of K-5 School

Full time M.Ed.

Critical friend to PP

Curriculum Area

Supply teacher for all grades and subjects

Administration

Critical questioning

Starting Point

Dissatisfaction with frequency of nonproductive and disruptive student behaviours.

Discomfort with my role as disciplinarian.

Frequent frustration with pre-existing curriculum and classroom procedures.

New principal works with staff to seek new procedures for monitoring student needs for student support

Improve questioning skills to support professional growth

Further Questions

What can I change about the way I teach which will improve student behaviour?

What are priorities for use of school’s resources

Are questions helping PP to focus?

Breakthrough

Teasing apart of myriad variables that combine to create classroom climate.

Ability to distinguish between variables within my control from those I can do nothing about.

PP gets perspective of the range of needs

NJM teachers give voice to concerns

Review of e-mail reveals questions are leading. Why don’t I just say what I think?

New Practices

Let go of concern for variables outside my control.

Isolate, reflect on, and manage those variables within my control.

Introduce systematic review of student needs school wide

Ask PP for feedback on process

Data

Feedback (verbal, written, displayed behaviour) from students: ie., their perceptions and preferences.

Personal journal which recounts each day’s occurrences.

Possibly accounts of my teaching from colleagues who have observed me.

Student behaviour is major teacher concern as interfering with learning

E-mail exchanges

Findings

New Knowledge

Much of what my students have related to me matches findings in the academic literature

Better understanding of my behaviours

Clearer understanding of my personal values and how they often conflict with the nature of my job.

 

 

Validation

Similar results regarding student feedback found in the literature

Similar accounts relayed by other teachers.

Students seem to support teacher’s efforts on prevention.

Standardized reading tests at end of year?

 

Next Steps

Collect more data regarding student views and data about my teaching practices practices.

Further exploration of issues with my critical friend.

Setting school priorities?

Getting feedback from staff on the review process.

 

GO TO CHART 4

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