Where have all the parents gone?

Parental Involvement? What does this even mean to the parents of todays youth? What are teachers suppose to do when they spend 5 days a week, 8 hours + a day, and countless hours worrying about someone else's child just to find out that these so called parents don't care about the kids?  As a teacher I see and hear it every day from teachers. Teacher's that are at their wits end and call a parent just to hear its your problem deal with it. We have kids that are calling out for attention in every thing they do, from using foul language to not doing anything at all.
This week I learned that there may be a way for me to alleviate some stress from the backs of my fellow teachers. Instead of sitting idly by I can be proactive and do something. This is my action research topic, and I plan to take action. This research I believe will not only benefit teachers, but individual students, and possibly school performance, and school community in the form of morale for teachers.

Educational Leaders

I believe blogs for educational leaders should become an essential means of communication. Sometimes we are unable to connect with people via phone, email, and face book because people lately seem to be continuously on the go.  With a blog you are able to comment and receive feedback.  Many times blogs can be anonymous which means the main contributor can stay unnamed, and therefore they are able to speak freely. 

Action Research

I have recently learned that action research is an amazing tool that allows teachers and administrators alike to have concerns with what is being done.  It gives the school officials and those who know of the issue whether it is a child, or another type of hindrance the school may have, and gives the power back to those who need it in order to make a change.  Now administrators and teachers alike don't have to take the sole advice of a text book junky on how to handle the budget crisis, disrespectful students, or just a teachers everyday crutch on, "How do I teach the one child that just seems not to grasp anything." Teachers now are able to form learning communities within their grade levels or across several grade levels. By doing this they are able to learn from each other’s mistakes and come up with new innovative ways of approach.  I plan to really push the PLC at my school and learn from my mistakes and others and reach out for new ideas.  I plan on taking the one topic that really rubs me the wrong way and that is our current bilingual education system and conduct my own action research. I would love to find out why and how we are able to let down so many young and adolescent students alike.