Personal Growth

There are so many things that I learned about myself, my students, and writing instruction throughout my action research. One of the most valuable lessons that I have learned is that there is not one right way to carry out writing instruction. As a first year teacher molding 5th grade minds, I thought it was my duty to guide students toward writing perfectly polished essays that would benefit them as they transitioned to middle school and high school. I quickly discovered that students are more attentive and involved with their writing if they are writing about topics that are meaningful to them, or for an authentic audience other than the teacher. As research indicates, “If students are to develop the writing skills needed to be ready for college, the world of work, or both, they need to learn to write for a variety of meaningful and useful purposes” (Gilbert & Graham, 2010, p. 512). As our class began to discuss social justice, a topic that is very relevant in our world today, in and out of the classroom, I saw my students’ interest peak. As we discussed the possibility of helping another school in our community and writing to businesses in the area where my students shop, they were drawn in even more. This taught me the importance of connecting learning to real life, making experiences fun and engaging for my students, and providing them with authentic writing tasks. This research has impacted my teaching because it has encouraged me to think outside of the bubble of traditional writing instruction in order to make learning more meaningful for my students in the future.

The completion of this action research and my year as a CADRE teacher has pushed me to learn and grow as a professional. Throughout the process of conducting action research I have networked with district curriculum facilitators, teachers in other school buildings, community members, and past and present professors at the university. These are individuals that I may not have communicated with on a routine basis if I were a typical first year teacher. I feel more confident in my abilities as a teacher and a professional as a result of my time spent in the CADRE program.

If I could repeat this research process again there are a few minor adjustments I would make. One main goal that I have for myself as a teacher moving forward is to provide my students with more opportunities to write about topics that are meaningful to them as individuals. Through this study my students had a lot of say in the choices that we made; that was not always the case in other writing opportunities. My students also provided me with overwhelming feedback indicating that time was the number one cause of stress for them. In the future, it will be vital that I set a clear timeline for students so that they have ample time to work but are being intentional about the time they are given.

Next year I am very excited to make the transition from a 5th grade teacher to a 3rd grade teacher. As I move down in grade levels, this action research will be very beneficial to me. Younger students are going to need more opportunities to be engaged in their learning with authentic and meaningful tasks; they will not be sitting at their desks writing essays. This study will also impact my future teaching because I was able to receive so much authentic feedback from students, guiding my future instructional choices based on the needs of the kids. As demonstrated with this study, it is a personal goal of mine to always reiterate to students the power that they have to make positive change in this world. As I progress in my career as an educator, that is the message that I hope to send more than anything.