Rigor, Relevance,
and Purpose
ACTIVE RESEARCH
W H A T I S A C T I V E R E S E A R C H ?
Educators and leaders are continually evolving and changing their practice. Active research in a community of practice uses keen observation and documented changes to helps us move our practice and learn from each other. Another benefit of the active research frame is that it centers on the impact of these changes and design on our learners and school community.
Educators and leaders are continually evolving and changing their practice. Active research in a community of practice uses keen observation and documented changes to helps us move our practice and learn from each other. Another benefit of the active research frame is that it centers on the impact of these changes and design on our learners and school community.
A C T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O C E S S
1. Share a vulnerability
Use learnings and reflections from Zaretta Hammond’s Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain to identify a "vulnerability"—an aspect of practice that you would like to work on.
Use learnings and reflections from Zaretta Hammond’s Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain to identify a "vulnerability"—an aspect of practice that you would like to work on.
Teacher Examples
AWARENESS
- I haven’t figured out how to make space during classes to process my own triggers around race and culture or create space to think so that I can actively avoid creating an unsafe space. I want to practice using strategies like SODA to help me process situations, but also explain to my students what I am using so that they can help hold me accountable.
INFORMATION PROCESSING
- Last year my feedback for students was inconsistent and not as actionable as the examples we read. I would like to use feedback to increase intellective capacity in partnership with my students. I want learning partnerships AND good relationships with students.
LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS
- I want to examine the relationships that I have with students in the hopes that I can reframe who we are as partners and not as ‘giver ' and ‘receiver’ of knowledge.
COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS & LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
- I know that I need to make consistent space within my classroom to get feedback on both how and what I am teaching with the hope of being able to provide more opportunity for student voice and agency.
Leader Examples
AWARENESS
- I have not supported my teachers in recognizing the important differences in cultural archetypes between themselves and many of the students in their classrooms. I need to, in a safe but honest way, support my teachers in understanding the differences between collectivist and individualist cultures and how this understanding can lead to better relationships with their students.
INFORMATION PROCESSING
- I have a weak spot in supporting teachers around how to effectively utilize formative assessments and feedback to increase intellective capacity. While formative assessments are happening they don’t lead to changes in instruction and instead are done from more of a compliance lens. I need to evolve my practice to help teachers evolve theirs.
LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS
The concept of care and push is something that I know I need to work on as a leader. In many ways I have been giving my teachers a lot of care, especially given the pandemic. They needed it! But we know, based on our data, that many kids are falling profoundly behind and I need to lean into a bit more of the ‘push’. I need to ‘push’ my teachers to ‘push’ a bit more.
COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS & LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
I’m in charge of discipline at my school and I know that I need to understand the tenets and benefits of restorative justice. Oftentimes, I thought to support frustrated teachers, I would lean more towards the punitive thinking that was the best support for teachers. I don’t think, longterm, it’s better for either teacher or student. I can get better.
2. Form a question
Create a question that you want to answer about culturally responsive teaching aligned to an identified vulnerability or area of growth.
Create a question that you want to answer about culturally responsive teaching aligned to an identified vulnerability or area of growth.
Connect our vulnerability to an identified area of interest.
vulnerability + potential strategy = impact on students
Question Frames
How will [action/strategy/practice] change [reference vulnerability statement]?
What impact will [action/strategy/practice] have on [reference vulnerability statement]?
Other (excluding yes or no questions)
Teacher Examples
Leader Examples
Resource
Use the RRP CoP Concept and Strategy Index-Community Resource Share to examine strategies from the book.
3. Gather initial data
Using your question as a guide, gather data that helps provide information on the learner's experience and your own practice.
Using your question as a guide, gather data that helps provide information on the learner's experience and your own practice.
CENTERING OUR WORK AROUND EQUITY: Data should be focused on key aspects of 228 Accelerator’s Design Principle Provocations to center our learners and school community in our research and work.
COMMUNITY DATA GATHERING ACTIVITIES: As a community of practice, we will engage in a few consistent data gathering activities that will help us focus on those most impacted by our work.
Teachers
EMPATHY INTERVIEWS: 2-3 students
EMPATHY INTERVIEWS: 2-3 students
Focal Point Observation (School Reform Initiative)
obs_focus_point.pdfLeaders & Coaches
EMPATHY INTERVIEWS: at least 2 students, then 1-2 other people impacted (e.g., student, teacher, parent/caregiver, other adult)
Building for Equity Self-Assessment (Center for Collaborative Education)
02-CCE-BuildingforEquityTools_School-Self-Assessment-Tool.pdf4. Design and implement
Using your data as a guide, design and implement a "solution" or strategy.
Using your data as a guide, design and implement a "solution" or strategy.
Think about a practice or potential tool you can use to address your question. Use the Concept, Strategy, and Community Resource Index if you need to refresh concepts introduced in the book or help to brainstorm.
How will you know how it’s going? Think about what data will let you know about the impact this is having on your learners. Plan to collect data to help you assess your design. Remember this should include talking with and getting feedback from students. It should also include artifacts like student work.
Implement, observe, and collect data. Remember, active research is about being a keen observer and talking with your learners about how it’s going.
5. Reflect and iterate
What lessons did you learn from your implementation?
Use your data to iterate on your design and implement or choose to approach a new vulnerability.
Learn more and create your slide:
Use your data to iterate on your design and implement or choose to approach a new vulnerability.
Learn more and create your slide:
6. Share learnings
What did you learn? Where are you going next in your journey as a culturally responsive educator?
What did you learn? Where are you going next in your journey as a culturally responsive educator?