Writing into the Profession: Clear, Step-by-Step Instructions to Teacher Research

The voices of educators working in kindergarten through Grade 12 often remain unheard in educational publications and academic conferences. Yet these teachers are the experts who work with students on a daily basis, so they have excellent insight to add to the educational research community. This article provides step-by-step instructions on manageable ways for K-12 teachers to conduct research during the busy school year. The field of education is flooded with professors and graduate students who publish, but the voices of teachers working in kindergarten through Grade 12 (K-12) are seldom heard (Woodcock, Lassende, & Rutten, 2004). This is due to time constraints, lack of knowledge, and lack of support in the school system. Yet the voices of classroom teachers can add authenticity to the field of educational research because they are immersed in the political, social, and economic issues of which many university researchers only have secondary knowledge. For K-12 educators, politicized issues are reality, and the repercussions of poor legislation and funding are authentic, daily dilemmas. One way for teachers to reflect upon their teaching experiences and classroom practices is through the art of research writing (Darling-Hammond, 1994; Hillocks, 1999; Mohr, 2004), Although it is an arduous task to teach full time, grade papers, and write, teacher research invigorates educators in their practice. Extensive research has been published about teachers and writing (Bieler & Thomas, 2009; Lieberman & Friedrich, 2007; Webb, 2005; Whitney, 2009; Whyte et al,, 2007), but few articles have been written to inform K-12 teachers on how to conduct research in their classrooms during the hustle and bustle of the school year. This article provides classroom educators with manageable steps to conducting research during the teaching day, Step 1: Choosing a Topic The first step to writing about your classroom is selecting a topic. Write about an issue that frustrates you, motivates you, or inspires you. Choosing a topic about which you are passionate will ensure that you remain interested in what you are writing. When crafting your topic, ask yourself some questions to jump start your writing: What entities in my school need to be changed? What professional practices work well? How are teachers and students valued in my school? How do teachers and students remain voiceless? By posing questions and trying to answer them, you are on the path to choosing your research question (Shagoury-Hubbard & Miller-Power, 2003). Select a question that is a natural fit with your curriculum and informs your instruction so that you are not adding additional work onto your teaching day. Step 2: Finding an Audience Write down your research question. What is it that you want to know? Why do you want to know it? Will other educators find it interesting or beneficial? Make certain that you identify your audience. Will it be elementary, high school, or middle school educators? Do you want to write a piece for administrators or counselors? You can find inspiration from specific journals that often include calls for manuscripts that may fit with activities you already do with your students. Typically, journals will provide sample articles for you to read online. Read these articles so that you become accustomed to the types of articles that ajournai publishes (Reid, 2008). When reading sample issues, examine the reference pages. Are there many citations or one or two? What formatting does the journal require: APA or MLA? Also, examine who the readers of that publication are so that you can cater your writing toward that audience. For example, do teachers, college professors, or administrators read thatjournal? Step 3: Gaining Permission from Your District Ask your district what forms you are required to complete to conduct a research study and to have approval for research with human subjects. …