Action Research

Action research is a process that can be very rewarding and beneficial if conducted properly.  I have learned that it is an ongoing process that is grounded in inquiry and kept in motion by the implementation of new strategies and the process of reflection.  One area at my school that I believe could benefit from the use of action research deals with the transition of fifth grade students into middle school.  Although this transition is difficult for all students, there are certain sub-populations that seem to be affected to an even greater extent.  One area that I would like to research is the amount of time at the beginning of the school year that sixth grade teachers have to spend on teaching information that is outside of their curriculum.  I think that it would be beneficial to compare this amount of time to the time spent by the fifth, seventh and eighth grade teachers on the same tasks.  I would also like to research the challenges faced by the students that are moving from the elementary bilingual programs into the standard English classrooms at the middle school level.  I believe there are many stakeholders that could be involved in this research project and that there are many strategies that could be implemented to assure an easier transition for the students.  Action research would allow me the opportunity to gather important data, collaborate with school and district stakeholders, implement a variety of new strategies and reflect on their effectiveness over a period of time.  This is an area that needs attention and one that would benefit from the action research cycle.