BTAR chapter 8

Right of the get go in this chapter, I thought about the possible steps following a research study. I was uncertain of where I could go after this upcoming action research this Fall, but then I wondered how I could delve deeper into the subject at hand. How could I build on what I will learn? What could I do to triangulate an even more specific aspect of a students ability to learn? These were questions that I had. I followed the process of this chapter pretty well since it made sense for the most part. It helps to have the text recapped at the end so to make the text and process seem easier to tackle.

What will be the hardest for me to do is reflect on my research after all is said and done, only because at the time, I will be performing the process the best way I know how. As I write this, I know that when the time comes to reflect on my research, it will be helpful to have another set of eyes to take a look. This is where collaboration will help me directly and give me the opportunity to review my own faults and successes as a researcher with a new perspective.

 "To think and act critically is to live and practice action research on a daily basis" is one line in the text that I found interesting. I can appreciate the sentiment of proactivity especially concerning students. That being said, there are times when a teacher just needs to take a break from being a researcher and simply be a teacher. I know that when the time comes to take over my own classroom, it will be difficult for me to focus on research all the time. I understand that action research is a little thing that should be done in tandem with teaching, but there are limits to how many little things a person can take in their day. At that point it will be a balancing act unlike any I have ever done.

BTAR chapter 7

I often think of academic research as dry, overly complicated, and indigestible. With only a few exceptions, it is. As I read this chapter, I begin to understand why people try and add a voice to their research, to give it a personality, or to make it more attractive to the naked eye. They want people to be invested in what they are invested in. In the end, a zebra can't change it's stripes. Academic research is going to be what it is. The trick is, when you get to the end of the research bit and begin presenting your work, everything needs to be simpler in order to be had by your average person. This is the challenge with any research though. Making it easily accessible to the masses. As I read further in the chapter, I realized how great it would be to read an article with attributes like the ones that are presented; moments of joys and mistakes, personal struggles, etc. Many of the authors whose articles I have read could benefit from this text. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem they did. This chapter paints a pretty picture of what academic research would be given that we abandon what we think and how we present data.

Despite my disdain for academic work, I can appreciate the effort to be presentable and professional. It takes a certain person in a certain field of study to appreciate a piece on research. Sometimes, it's not about reaching everyone, but it's all about reaching the right people.  The text goes on describing developing a voice and style that you design yourself so to be taken seriously in the academic circles, and nothing is more important than how you look and feel when trying to portray your work. This does not mean that if you look good, you'll sound good. It's important to make your findings just as attractive. If you take a look at page 193 of the text, the authors present a table for your reading convenience so to show how a well organized research presentation can look. What I like most about it is that it simplifies. Not much can be done to change the facts and what they are, but by using an organizer such as the one on page 193, an author can simplify their work into a more digestible form.

BTAR chap. 6

This chapter begins simply by helping the reader define "interpretation". Reading the following passages, I thought more about my insecurities regarding action research. Through the process of learning about how to be a consistent and reliable researcher, I have learned more about how the data we collect can influence our own perspectives regarding our research. Near the beginning of the chapter the text cites the words of Tilden who said that "information, as such, is not interpretation." I get the feeling that a great deal of researchers have fallen prey to this aspect of research and attempted to make meaning from the information alone. I agree with the authors who discuss how interpreting data can be a daunting task to even the most seasoned of researchers. I have no doubt that I will have a hard time with this aspect of data interpretation. It almost seems wrong making a judgment about a population based on my observations. Who's to say that my data collection was flawed or skewed in any way? I think that is what will worry me the most when I perform my action research in the fall. Even later in the chapter the authors discuss the voice in your head that says that you don't know enough. What put my mind slightly at ease was reading about the steps of data collection. I figure if I successfully perform the steps, I should have enough information to make a basic inference.  

Chapter 5 BTAR

I know that during my action research, I am going to have a great deal of issues when finally looking at my data and working out what it is telling me. I think that might be why the questions posed regarding the analysis and reconstruction of my data on pages 118 and 119 are going to help me considerably when taking a look at my own data. It is important for a researcher to be able to communicate and understand their study's data so to make it more accessible to a common reader. The questions in the following pages up until 122 will also help me realize what my own limitation are the limitations of my data. Late in the chapter, the text discusses the importance of ongoing analysis and taking reflective pauses during research. This would help a researcher by forcing them the constantly rethink about their research process and the implications the data makes, rather than waiting until the very end when all the data has been collected and seems so distant and disconnected. This will have to be something that I focus on as well just so I don't lose sight of early data collections and what they imply. A lot can be lost in a matter of weeks when distracted by other happenings in research.

Gersten article reflection

It's important to consistently look at how we teach and how different methods are implemented in the classroom. This article was hard to digest and overly descriptive to suit anyone who isn't in the field of research, education, or involved in both. Despite it's value to your average bystander, it's the thought that counts. Things became much clearer in the section titled Measuring the Independent Variable when the author discusses the difference between observing the implementation or the lack thereof. I think it became clearer because Gersten used a contextual example. I appreciate how the article stresses the importance of using a lesson model consistently so to better obtain an idea of how effective that model actually is. I enjoyed one of the following sections titled Implementation Fidelity because, right at the beginning, Gersten maps out what should be observed while judging the effectiveness of a lesson model. Gersten talks about aspects such as level of training provided , length of lessons, etc. Though there is a checklist that helps define what should be looked for in any implementation, I appreciate the fact that the author admits that there are aspects that can be difficult to quantify during an observation. The article brings more points to light, but overall, it reminds me that it's important to observe my own teaching and planning. That way I can consistently better my teaching methods.

Journal 12-14 to 12-16

12-14
A students communication needs can be hard to handle sometimes, especially for the student. My student and I were working on using the little cue cards that we made on boardmaker. What I am doing to implement these is give her choices just to introduce the cards and what they mean. I know that now is not the best time to start, but what's the harm in introducing them? We'll try using them again every day.

12-15
The new student did well today making it easier to work in the same room with my student. That turned out well because she wasn't having anything to do with the other kids in the main classroom. We tried to get back there but it didn't work today.

12-16
Today was a good day. We started out doing the recycling and our morning routine. I would like to incorporate recycling into our daily routine since nobody else is doing it. There should be plenty for us to do. My student did great getting the bins from the classroom and doing it quietly. I am so proud of her. We managed all our work later in the day and she sat through an entire movie! So that was awesome. Hopefully we don't have to work too hard to get back into the swing of things when the break is over.

Journal 12-5 to 12-7

12-5
Today I want to talk about administration. I understand that the leaders of our schools have a great deal on their plates, and that they sometimes just don't have the time. I'm also accustomed to taking care of myself in the workplace, but sometimes, it would be nice if there was an ounce of time that the administration could spare to us IA's. If people in my school were to have problems, I imagine that I might have a hard time too finding time for them, but emails should do the trick and having meetings to fix problems should come first above working in the cafeteria for lunch.

12-6
Today my student had a full meltdown before she got on the bus. I firmly believe that it's not my job to get a student on the bus, it is the parents. But when my student threw herself on the ground, I couldn't just leave her there with her mom. So I waited patiently. We didn't get to school for at least an hour, so I guess I don't know, but if someone could answer this question, it would be great. How long is too long to wait for a student?

12-7
She got on the bus today. I feels like it has been an up and down kind of time these past few weeks. I would kill for some routine.