Action research is an essential practice that aligns deeply with how Montessori tasks educators with being scientists, saints, and servants. These three roles anchor educators' understanding and efforts as they seek to incorporate action research into Montessori pedagogy. In this article, the author offers a way to incorporate critical reflection…

The responsibilities of a general physical educator can be challenging and at times overwhelming. Whether teaching a full day of general physical education, or inclusive physical education classes that include a student or multiple students with disabilities, the expectation is that all students will be provided age and developmentally appropriate…

Action research is an evidence-based practice that is highly applicable to middle school teaching and learning. Middle school teachers can empower themselves and their students by participating in immersive, meaningful activities that are designed to improve educational outcomes. Action research is purposeful and beneficial for teachers, students,…

Photovoice is a technique in which a facilitator guides a participant to produce a photograph and accompanying caption that reflects the participant's unique views regarding a topic. The photovoice process is designed to be used with a wide range of audiences. This article describes ways Extension educators can incorporate photovoice into the…

Ms. Jones stared at the stack of biology quizzes and wondered what went wrong. She thought about the lesson plans and wondered what she should have done differently. Ms. Jones is not alone in wondering how to improve student learning and classroom instruction. To improve student achievement, educators must determine what is working and what is…

"Principles to Actions: Ensuring Mathematical Success for All" (NCTM 2014) emphasizes eight teaching practices for effective mathematics teaching, one of which is to "use and connect multiple representations" (NCTM 2014, p. 24). An action that describes how teachers might promote this practice is to "allocate substantial…

Action research is an empowering experience for educators, yet many believe that they do not have the time, resources, or knowledge to make it a worthwhile experience. What do you need to know to feel confident in making action research a method of bettering your teaching and your students' learning? This article reveals how to make this process…

With a growing shortage of teachers of color in public schools, the author asserts a necessity for more Critical Educators of Color--educators from racially marginalized backgrounds willing to confront injustices plaguing under-resourced communities of color. Rooted in her formative K12 experiences as a student of color exposed to critical…

Most practitioners and scholars agree that critical and reflective early childhood and elementary teachers are foundational for children's holistic growth and development. Yet current policies focused on elevating testing and performativity are contributing to student and teacher anxiety and alienation. This book offers a counternarrative to…

Inspired by true events, this case presents how the Northwestern Elementary leadership team confronts the challenges of deficit thinking on their campus. An action research study uncovers a glaring lack of cultural responsiveness in practice, concerning Black and Hispanic students. Motivated by these findings, Anne, a White principal and Myra, a…

The action research method of appreciative inquiry (AI) was employed to develop a teaching tool. This exercise involves students' reflections on a course, noting when they learned the most. The AI process of appreciating, envisioning, dialoging, and innovating is used to help students reflect on how they learn. Instructors of all types of courses…

This action research resource is designed to help educators bridge the gap between educational research and its practical application in schools and classrooms. The goal of this action research resource is to help educators use education research in practical ways toward school improvement--to bring the use of professional literature and education…

A speech-language pathologist and former primary teacher who is now a researcher conducting action research with kindergarten teachers in northern rural Canadian classrooms collaborate in an analysis of one teacher's interactions with her students in a dramatic play center. We use three principles to show how the teacher supports children's…

Thorntree Primary is a small school in Greenwich, London, with strong links to the local community and an appealing village feel that is unusual in its inner London setting. The children come from a mix of cultural and economic backgrounds, with those entitled to free school meals being higher than average. The school has a strong inclusive and…

This article argues that the practices of reasoning and sense making are critical for developing students' mathematical literacy. Seven mathematics teachers collaborated throughout a school year to discuss the ideas proposed in Reasoning and Sense Making (NCTM 2009) and put them into practice through action research. Conducting action research,…