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Professionalism

As a teacher I ask my students to be continually learning, I would be amiss if I

did not hold the same expectation for myself. Teaching is a craft that is continuously

changing. In order to best meet the needs of my students I must continue to learn

strategies, skills, and methods throughout my career. Many educators feel as I do as

Tafel and Fisher (2001) explain “they believe that professional development must

be a continuous journey of inquiry, of evaluating and valuing their learning and of

constructing meanings through reflecting on teaching” (p.231). A professional

educator will continue to learn about the practice of teaching through reading,

seminars, professional development seminars, colleague collaboration, and action

research.

A responsible educator will spend time reflecting on their practice. This is

often done in relationship with other educators. As Hobson (2001) notes, “teachers

seem most open to the teachings and wonderings of their colleagues” (p. 176). This

collaboration with peers is key to improving ones practice. Observation and

reflection of one’s practice leads to teacher action research. This is a collaborative

process designed to seek a best solution for those involved in the study and to solve

a problem of practice. As Hubbard and Power (2003) state, “we expect our research

to move us to a better understanding of our students and to better practice” (p.xiv).

I conducted an action research project with my 5th grade class to examine the

effectiveness of small group collaboration in our math practice. I chose this topic

after analyzing the classes test scores and observing a general low performance in

math of my class. Burnaford, Fisher, & Hobson (2001) state that “the central work of
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teacher action research is to identify effective educational practices and to design

ways of helping classrooms and schools become a more democratic community of

quality learning” (p.30). This is what I did through my research inquiry. I discovered

that my students overall were more successful in learning new math concepts when

they had the opportunity to work together in small groups.

As an educator it is my duty to observe and reflect on my students learning

and make decisions for growth based on this observation. I agree with Perrone’s

(1991) statement, “teachers must make the principal decisions about curriculum as

it unfolds in their own classrooms” (p. 12). As a classroom teacher I am always

searching for the best way to teach my students. Participating in classroom research

on a regular basis helps in the quest for “knowledge that can help tackle pressing

problems and issues, and help improve situations” (O’Leary, 2017, p.3).

As Burnaford (2001) notes, “teacher researchers who engage in research

with their students and with their colleagues solve problems and develop

curriculum that responds to their immediate needs” (p. 50). This is the purpose of

any professional development to solve problems and respond to curriculum needs.

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References

Burnaford, G., Fisher, J., & Hobson, D. (2001) Teachers doing research: The power of

action through inquiry 2nd ed. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum

Associates, Inc.

Hobson, D. (2001). Learning with each other: Collaboration in teacher research. In

Burnaford, G., Fisher, J., & Hobson, D. (Eds.), Teachers doing research: The

power of action through inquiry. (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum

Associates, Inc.

Hubbard, R., & Power, B. (2003). The art of classroom inquiry: A handbook for

teacher researchers. Portsmouth, NW: Heinman.

O’Leary, Z. (2017). The essential guide to doing your research project 3 rd ed. Los

Angeles, CA: Sage Publications Ltd.

Perrone, V. (1991). A letter to teachers: Reflections on schooling and the art of

teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Tafel, L., & Fisher, J. (2001). Teacher action research and professional development:

Foundations for educational renewal. In Burnaford, G., Fisher, J., & Hobson, D.

(Eds.), Teachers doing research: The power of action through inquiry. (2nd ed.).

Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.