I used to be the kind of learner who had to know if the outcome was right or wrong. The type of subject matter I used to study had that type of material - correct answers and incorrect and there was a certain amount of comfort in knowing that if I worked at it long enough I would get it right. I reaaaaallllllyyyyy had a hard time getting used to work that required my opinion and that didn't necessarily have a correct and incorrect answer. I took particular note of the running theme in action research about it being ongoing and spiraling. Chapter One in Anderson comments on how change can be thought to be confrontational by the people who have been doing things a certain way. Not only am I personally experience this with staff but also with parents. It is amazing how much time I spend defending developmentally appropriate practices. I am frightened honestly of how daunting it seems to be able to embed this type of research in the already too short school day, but I think knowing it is a process without a definite right and wrong answer takes the edge off it.

Mixed emotions

Well I couldn't feel more opposite about the two assigned readings.

The Public Education Primer did nothing but beg for more questions to be answered. If the state is paying almost half of the cost for schooling, why the *#?! are my taxes enough to pay a semester at university? If 8 out of 10 school teachers are female, how many administrators are? How many superintendents are? I bet that number is pretty different! Why did it seem like it was a negative that so many teachers have a non-teaching background? I have a non-teaching undergrad degree - isn't well rounded an asset?
Anyhow, initially this reading material did make cringe, but, in the end, it also made me ask questions and that can be a good thing.

The preface to Studying Your Own School evoked quite the opposite feeling in me. It made me feel really excited about the potential of learning something useful. I was intrigued by the statements regarding the gap between practitioners and academics and past lack of appreciation one has for the other. It reminded me of the first time I heard "Those who can't teach." I was quite appalled by it then, when I was not a teacher, and I am equally appalled at the thought that one professional does not hold the other in equal regard. However, the text does suggest that a change is on the horizon in that regard. I think we could all associate with the 'talking head' in-service seminars. I think I would feel like I won the lottery if I could take greater control over those professional development activities. Having worked for program that relies heavily on % type data collection as the only form of legitimate knowledge, action research really seems to support the teacher's observations as legitimate knowledge - how refreshing!