What To Pick? What To Pick?

What To Pick? What To Pick?


I have narrowed the field down to three possible topics for my action research project. I am passionate about all three. What to choose??


My top three choices are:


1. How can teachers make lessons more rigorous?


Our school is an exemplary school, but we as teachers are not engaging students in lessons that reach the high levels of Bloom’s. Our teachers also need help asking thought provoking questions and if they are skilled in this, do they accept low-level responses from the students? Our next staff development will be focused on critical thinking and adding rigor to lessons. This is of course a timely response to the new STAAR test.


2. Do the grades given to students really reflect their academic abilities?


In our school we have very involved parents. On many occasions our administration has been caught defending teachers on the case of grades. However sometimes parents bring up very valid questions regarding grading guidelines. My principal shared that some teachers take off points if a name is missing on a paper. She then argues that yes this is annoying, but lowering a student’s score because of this does not reflect the student’s academic ability. With all of the data collection, documentation, and tracking that we all do now true academic reflective grades are crucial.


3. How can we as educators effectively communicate with parents?


How can we as educators connect with parents of a 21st century student? What are preferred methods of parents? Do the majority of parents feel we do a good job communicating? How can we better inform our students and make them eager to share information with their parents?

Stay Tuned!!