Reflection on my Learning In regards to the literature - The first area of learning that impacted me was looking at how to set the foundation for school improvement. Learning how to create a shared vision on campus and an understanding of inquiry are essential for a school to have a climate and culture that  focuses on professional learning and school improvement. As Harris (2010) stated, “… it is absolutely vital that everyone know and agree upon the basic direction.” When this shared vision is in place, faculty are able to understand their school needs and how important it is to engage in inquiry to improve the school. Once the school faculty has a shared vision and is looking toward inquiry, an instructional leader must build interpersonal trust within the school. “High trust within a school increases the chances that school reform and implementation will take place” (Harris, 2010). Lack of trust creates a barrier that can lead to reduced communication, a negative climate, as well as divide faculty. Creating a culture and climate on campus that focuses faculty energies into collaborative discussions is the first step to truly working as professionals in school improvement. Looking at how to set the foundation for school improvement was very beneficial to me as an instructional leader. Looking at the different ways action research can be implemented on campus was also very beneficial for me. Prior to this course I engaged in action research as my professional development appraisal (called ABC project) instead of the traditional PDAS. At first I was overwhelmed at the idea of research, but then I realized that each year I had used a form of action research. I would reflect on my instructional practices, timelines, activities and resources, and then implement changes during the school year or plan to implement for the next year. Making that connection between self-improvement and research based practices was essential to me taking ownership of the new appraisal system structure and genuinely improving my practice that year. With that in mind, I learned that there are several ways I can implement action research on campus as an instructional leader. Action research can strictly be for personal growth of administrators and teachers, as well as become a campus-wide initiative for improvement. Other forms of inquiry can be done by grade level teams, assigned or elected committees, vertical teams, as well as teacher-parent committees. Providing staff with options for professional growth will also improve staff buy-in and increase implementation efforts. Knowing what available avenues there are to use action research will help me build the structure needed for successful school improvement to occur. In regards to my action research - While collecting research data on parent involvement, I found reoccurring patterns in the student populations that have decreased parent involvement. “K-8 parents of white students were more likely than parents of African American or Hispanic students to attend a school event, volunteer or serve on a school committee and participate in school fundraising” (Dervarics, C., & O'Brien E., 2011) I also found statistics and patterns linking student achievement and parent involvement. “When parents talk to their children about school, expect them to do well, make sure that out-of-school activities are constructive, and help them plan for college, their children perform better in school” (A New Wave of Evidence, 2002) Being able to collect this data and see the patterns that evolved helped me to focus my research efforts and see my topic in another light. This step was very helpful in that I saw a bigger picture in regards to family cultures and experiences that have shaped their view or feelings toward participating in school activities. Without conducting the depth of research I did, I would not have implemented activities that would have genuinely made an impact on parent involvement and changing the climate on campus. In regards to my instructional leader preparation - My depth of knowledge in action research has grown tremendously and I am confident that I can implement the method with staff for school improvement and continue to use it for personal growth as well. One example within the Dana (2009) text made an impression on me with regards to veteran teachers. The example wondering was stated as “How does the process of peer coaching help veteran teachers continue to learn and grow?  And What roll can the principal play in facilitating this process? (Bauer, 2001).” This scenario was particularly interesting to me because I have seen teachers with exemplary skills, unfortunately they were never given opportunities to shared their knowledge of the craft. Utilizing action research can provide new teachers with the written research to back the new methods they implement, as well as provide opportunities to learn from exemplary teachers who are skills in those methods. This was a reminder that as instructional leaders we can not forget to utilize the skilled teachers on campus to help implement change on campus. I am very confident in my understanding of action research and how to implement the method for school improvement. Thoughts for the Future - This course pushed me to become proactive in my learning in regards to technology. I plan to continue to update my blog and website regularly with reflections, data and conclusions of my learning through the coming years. I want to lead by example as an instructional leader, showing the importance of collaboration and research in education. I would also like to purchase the parallel text to the Dana (2009) text titled The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Classroom Research: Learning to Teach and Teaching to Learn Through Practitioner Inquiry (Dana & Yendol-Hoppey, 2009) I believe this will be a great resource for teachers to use as they become research practitioners through school improvement efforts. My next action research project is focused on SSI and the RtI process. The SSI and RtI process is a large part of my internship plan. I plan to use action research as a way to collect data for teacher professional development sessions prior to school starting. I will also utilize the research to assist teachers throughout the year with documentation and intervention methods. Written by Lara Nixon (2012) References Harris, S., Edmonson, S., & Combs, J. (2010) Examining What We Do To Improve Our Schools: Eight Steps from Analysis to Action. New York: Eye On Education. Dervarics, C., & O'Brien E. (2011) Back to school: How parent involvement affects student achievement. Retrieved from The Center for Public Education website: http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Public-education/Parent-Involvement/Parent-Involvement.html Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002) A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of Schools, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement. Retrieved from National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools, Southwest  Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) website: http://www.sedl.org/connections/resources/evidence.pdf Bauer, D., Kur, J., & Heitzmann, M. (2001, April). Peer Coaching - a Road to Deeper Understanding. Presentation at the annual Pennsylvania State University - State College Area School District Teacher Inquiry Conference, State College, Pennsylvania. Dana, N. F., & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2009)The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Classroom Research: Learning to Teach and Teaching to Learn Through Practitioner Inquiry (2nd edition). Thousands Oaks, CA: Corwin.