Having gone through a second round of action research this semester, I am reminded of how important it is to be a lifelong learner and a reflective practitioner. I am constantly striving to attain these goals, but they take work. Conducting action research reminds me that I need to think about what I am doing in my classroom, and how I can improve. I also need to look at my improvements in a systematic way, reading current research and then applying it or modifying it to meet the needs of my classroom.
As a result of TE 808, I have learned to be more aware of my individual students’ strengths and needs. While I always try to meet my students’ where they are at, I can continue to work on this, as I have not found ways for them all to be successful yet. This action research project also helped me think beyond my comfort zone to develop new teaching tools to help my students. As a teacher, I find it natural to reflect on my practice and think about how I can change what I’m doing; this course helped provide the motivation I needed to make some of those changes.
Thinking about my students, I have learned that they have much more varied abilities than I initially thought. Through my research, I was able to see their unique strengths and weaknesses, which can sometimes be hidden underneath their special education label. My research also taught me about my students’ learning styles. My students definitely showed me that they like choice and variety; they do not like limited options.
Taking TE 808 at the beginning of the MATC program was beneficial for me. It helped me reorganize myself so that I can prioritize my time between work, school, and family. The organizational structure has helped me set a schedule for when I work on my graduate course work, and I think this schedule will work for me throughout the rest of the program. I have learned to dedicate time to my graduate work, which has helped me not only focus on my course work, but also be more efficient so I’m taking home less work from the classroom.
The most challenging piece of TE 808 has been wrapping up my action research paper these past few weeks, as I am not completely finished with my research. I am trying to draw conclusions with incomplete data. I will be happy when all of my data is collected, but will then have to prioritize finishing my paper, since it will be due very soon. I was ready to begin my project much sooner than I started, but felt I needed to wait for the go-ahead. Looking back, I should have started collecting data when I felt I was ready. The most beneficial piece of TE 808 was how our action research paper was broken down into manageable chunks. I do not feel overwhelmed trying to write a 30 page paper right now because most of the paper is written. I appreciate that I am spending most of my time revising what has already been written, rather than trying to write everything toward the end of the semester. I also appreciate the time we had to peer revise. While I was initially opposed to the idea, the process has strengthened my paper more than I could have done on my own.
If I colleague was considering taking TE 808, I would highly recommend it. I believe that self-reflection is a critical tool in teaching. Action research is one way to enhance self-reflection. Beyond learning how to conduct action research, I appreciate the opportunities to reflect on the TED videos and the technology tools. They have provided me with numerous opportunities to discuss my philosophy of education, not only in class, but also at home with my husband who is also a teacher. I think I will be able to use many of the resources I learned about in this class in the future and I’m glad the information I learned has immediate and real-life applicability.
As a result of TE 808, I have learned to be more aware of my individual students’ strengths and needs. While I always try to meet my students’ where they are at, I can continue to work on this, as I have not found ways for them all to be successful yet. This action research project also helped me think beyond my comfort zone to develop new teaching tools to help my students. As a teacher, I find it natural to reflect on my practice and think about how I can change what I’m doing; this course helped provide the motivation I needed to make some of those changes.
Thinking about my students, I have learned that they have much more varied abilities than I initially thought. Through my research, I was able to see their unique strengths and weaknesses, which can sometimes be hidden underneath their special education label. My research also taught me about my students’ learning styles. My students definitely showed me that they like choice and variety; they do not like limited options.
Taking TE 808 at the beginning of the MATC program was beneficial for me. It helped me reorganize myself so that I can prioritize my time between work, school, and family. The organizational structure has helped me set a schedule for when I work on my graduate course work, and I think this schedule will work for me throughout the rest of the program. I have learned to dedicate time to my graduate work, which has helped me not only focus on my course work, but also be more efficient so I’m taking home less work from the classroom.
The most challenging piece of TE 808 has been wrapping up my action research paper these past few weeks, as I am not completely finished with my research. I am trying to draw conclusions with incomplete data. I will be happy when all of my data is collected, but will then have to prioritize finishing my paper, since it will be due very soon. I was ready to begin my project much sooner than I started, but felt I needed to wait for the go-ahead. Looking back, I should have started collecting data when I felt I was ready. The most beneficial piece of TE 808 was how our action research paper was broken down into manageable chunks. I do not feel overwhelmed trying to write a 30 page paper right now because most of the paper is written. I appreciate that I am spending most of my time revising what has already been written, rather than trying to write everything toward the end of the semester. I also appreciate the time we had to peer revise. While I was initially opposed to the idea, the process has strengthened my paper more than I could have done on my own.
If I colleague was considering taking TE 808, I would highly recommend it. I believe that self-reflection is a critical tool in teaching. Action research is one way to enhance self-reflection. Beyond learning how to conduct action research, I appreciate the opportunities to reflect on the TED videos and the technology tools. They have provided me with numerous opportunities to discuss my philosophy of education, not only in class, but also at home with my husband who is also a teacher. I think I will be able to use many of the resources I learned about in this class in the future and I’m glad the information I learned has immediate and real-life applicability.
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