Your Living Research Stories

Leading G&T

Notes from 21st Oct 08

Everyone was at a different place so I do hope that you will start with focusing on what excites you and begin in a manner that makes sense to you. Have a look on Jack's website http://www.actionresearch.net About half way down you will find a link called Action Planning Click on that and you will find the questions we were discussing that some of you found helpful, such as, /jack/arplanner.htm

1) What do I want to improve?

3) What could I do that might improve what I am doing? (Imagining possibilities and choosing one of them to act on in an action plan)

You will also find the TASC wheel that some of you are familiar with and which you might like to try out for your own enquiry. There is no perfect place to start other than where it feels right for you.

On Jack's site, have a look at some of the titles of the accounts in the Masters Educators Programme. You might find one that interests you and helps you think about what you are working on.

There is also a lovely clear description of living theory by Jean McNiff in the foreward she as written to a new on-line journal, 'EJOLT' on
http://ejolts.net/drupal/current and you might enjoy the paper by Branko Bognar 'Pupils as action researchers: improving something important in our lives'

This extract from the abstract,

'In this report we reveal how ten-years-old pupils take over the whole processes of action research themselves. We realise that action research is not a teaching strategy for gaining better educational results, neither isit a preparation for life: it is life itself. We believe that traditional schooling cannot create a conducive atmosphere for pupils to carry out their own action research. Our research shows that it is possible to do this only in a child-oriented school whose main purpose is the development of the creative potentials of all participants.'

Asking 'I' questions are hard to start with and you can feel really uncomfortable because as adults we have had little practice. The more you do it the easier it gets. If you will take the leap you will create a CPD programme will enable you to educationally transform your practice and influence whole school development in a way that you believe is in the best educational interests of children and young people.

Please email me if you have any questions, queeries or want me to visit you to talk things over. I am around over the holidays as well if that suits you. There are also sessions up at University of Bath in 1WN 3.8 every week, Tuesday and Thursday 5.15pm-7.00pm and there is always lots of coffee, chocolate and good conversations. You are most welcome and dont have to feel you have to say or do anything apart from enjoy being with other teachers like you.

Looking forward to working with you at the next session Tuesday 18th Nov, 8.45 - 12.00 if I dont hear from you before.