Blogging'can it help our Leadership of today'

Blogs are powerful and could be used by leaders in many ways. First, it provides an opportunity for leaders to be connected to our youngsters of today and what is going on outside the box. Often, time and distance can cause isolation for leaders, but blogs that can be accessed 24 hours a day from practically anywhere in the world can allow leaders to overcome isolation and be connected with others at anytime and anywhere. Also, blogs can be utilized as a place for reflection or a place to "think out loud." Making the reflection process public will allow others to comment or share valuable ideas. Third, blogs can be used as a  form of communication. Leaders can utilize blogs to communicate with parents, community and staff.

Action Research 'what I have learned'

With reading I have found that Action research is a powerful tool that can be utilized by educational leaders, including teachers, principals, and district coordinators alike. Action research is a systematic approach, much like a doctor'sapproach to dealing with a patient experiencing symptoms, which allows leaders an opportunity to actively seek out answers to questions and then reflect and make changes in regards to their findings. Action research helps leaders to get in the trenches on their quest for knowledge and answers, because of their commitment to the organization, they are more likely to implement and sustain any needed changes.

I will use action research in my studies and as a teacher. I  will continuously seek out ways of improving student achievement. Specifically, I believe I can utilize action research to develop a plan to encourage students to be better problem solvers. I find myself often turning to tecnology to gain insight on problem solving and strategies that might or might not help the students I teach. Although this can be helpful, I realize if I spent more time in the inside collecting and analyzing data, I would probably gain a better insight as to what changes I can make that will help me better serve my students.