Using Blogs: An Educational Leader's Perspective

As an educational leader, blogging will be an important key to growth in my professional career.  Through this practice, I will be able to collaborate with other educators to gain insight on issues going on in my classroom, or at my school site.  Having other professionals share their thoughts and opinions on my blog will help me think outside of the box.  Through professional blogging, I will be able to reflect on my personal practices used inside the classroom, and how they can be enhanced.  I will also use blogging to model, motivate, and encourage my students and fellow teachers of the importance of writing, and reflecting one's current practices and beliefs.

Action Research

The Dana text was full of helpful and insightful information regarding the importance of action research.  I have learned that action research is vital to the ongoing success of a school.  It allows one to take charge of their own learning, and become a collaborator in the research process.  This will ultimately result in positive changes in your learning environment.  Action research is focused on gaining information from the inside our rather than the outside in (Dana, 2009).  Gaining information this way is so much more meaningful.  It just makes sense.  Most educators would rather be involved in engaging, interactive, and useful action research than having other professionals tell them what they think will work best in their specific school or learning community.  I will be able to use action research in many different ways.  I can personally use it to target a specific area of wondering in my classroom, collect data, gather as much literature as I can in order to learn more about my wondering.  Then, I will be able to make a well informed decision, and possibly make a change to my current practice.  In the end, I can share my findings with my grade level team, and technology PLC.  When using action research frequently and consistently, one can become a role model and create a school environment focused on inquiry and constant growth.

Dana, N.F. (2009).  Leading with Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.