Action Research Topics

As I reflected on possible research topics I tried to draw from problems I have experienced in my own classroom where I see potential for improvement. One of the topics that concern me is the issue of departmentalization versus self-contained in sixth grade. Therefore, one of my proposed topics is researching the advantages of a self-contained classroom in upper-elementary grades. My principal offered several other suggestions in addition to mine at our brief face-to-face meeting. One of the topics she proposed was researching what role the principal plays in retention of new teachers in their first three years as educators. Because of my experiences since becoming a teacher I have worked under several different principals. She felt that this exposure to different administrative styles could help me in my research. Another suggestion she offered is to look at different inclusion models at the elementary level and find out the advantages to each. Inclusion is something our campus began last year and we are definitely searching for the most effective way to implement it in our classrooms. Ultimately, I believe we are both leaning towards researching the advantages of a self-contained classroom in upper-elementary grades and the relationship between them and student success on state tests. This is a topic that has been of concern to my principal and several grade levels on our campus for the last couple of years. Teacher opinions are mixed on the issue. Since my principal is highly encouraging several grade levels, including my own, to consider this more thoughtfully for next year she feels the data may be very useful for our campus.