What I've Learned About Action Research

Most of what I have learned about action research was not learned in college, but instead learned during my seven years as principal. During that time, I had the privilege of leading a campus from good to great.....from a struggling title one school to an exemplary one for four years in a row that attracts visitors from across the state, earning numerous awards and distinctions. Sure, the change was the result of implementing researched based strategies and creating a culture of team work, high expectations, etc. But what made our school truly special is that we took risks, embraced change, and worked together to create a school that was about way more than test scores. To us, action research meant creating multi-age elective clubs that occurred during the school day or purchasing ipads for use during our intervention time. It meant not being afraid to be out of the box for kids. Action research was more than research....it was action that resulted in the creation of an awesome school...in terms of test scores, morale, and risk taking.