Teacher Inquiry

Promises of Coherence, Weak Content, and Strong Organization: An Analysis of the Student Text

Author: Margaret Kantz Summary: This report looks at ways in which college freshmen interpreted and negotiated an assignment calling for writing based on reading, along with how teachers then judged the abilities and preparation of the students based on that writing. The study discovered that students and teachers had different...

Thank You for Sharing: Developing Students’ Social Skills to Improve Peer Writing Conferences

Author: Keri Franklin Summary: In this article, Keri Franklin provides ideas and methods to prepare student authors for meaningful peer conferences which promote social talk in students’ responses to peers’ writings. Students benefit from peer conferences by receiving ideas from an audience of peers and more feedback than one teacher...

“Mizzou Men” Explore Their Roles as Men in the Elementary School Classroom

Summary: Focusing on an inquiry group comprised of men who teach in elementary schools, this article discusses the unique issues faced by this group and how an inquiry process can support them in addressing those issues and sharing successful strategies. It includes the reading/viewing protocol used by the group to...

The Challenge of Change: Growth Through Inquiry at the Western Massachusetts Writing Project

Author: Susan Connell Biggs, Kevin Hodgson, and Bruce Penniman Summary: This National Writing Project monograph describes the inquiry process undertaken by leaders at the Western Massachusetts Writing Project when the site faced radical changes and challenges in funding and leadership. This process led to a reorganization of the site, with...

Working Toward Conscious Competence: The Power of Inquiry for Teachers and Learners

Author: Jeffrey D. Wilhelm Summary: In this short article, Jeffrey Wilhelm makes the case for inquiry, which he defines as “learning how to solve problems and design solutions by using the stances and strategies of expert practitioners,” as the key set of practices for attaining “conscious competence,” learning that can...

A Picaresque Tale from the Land of Kidwatching: Teacher Research and Ethical Dilemmas

Author: Jane Zeni Summary: Drawing on series of hypothetical episodes, Zeni explores a variety of ethical problems and dilemmas that arise when a teacher-researcher conducts research in their own classroom. This article could be valuable for prompting discussion and reflection at the early stages of an action research project.

Lessons from Tony: Betrayal and Trust in Teacher Research

Author: Sharon Miller Summary: In a compelling narrative laced with details of a teacher’s relationship as a co-researcher with Tony, a student in her class of seniors with special needs, and her own ethical struggles as a teacher-researcher, Sharon Miller provides insights into issues such as ownership of data, and...

Teacher-Writers: Then, Now, and Next

Author: Robert Yagelski, Anne Elrod Whitney, James Fredricksen, and Troy Hicks Summary: Why should teachers write about their work? What is the evolution of this movement? The authors identify the teacher-writer as an activist, advocate, and knowledge creator. When teachers write and take on these various roles, they assert agency...

Window Sill: Teacher-Researchers and the Study of Writing Process

Author: Marian M. Mohr Summary: For those new to facilitating teacher-research, this article provides insight into the process, specifically how teachers approach research, the potential for research to change teaching practice, and implications for teacher education. It’s written as an introduction to a collection of research reports on the writing...

Creating Spaces for Study and Action Under the Social Justice Umbrella

Authors: Marlene Carter, Norma Mota-Altman, and Faye Peitzman Summary: This monograph provides an in-depth look at the UCLA Writing Project’s approach to exploring two social justice concerns—matters of race and issues of homophobia—and the design of two multiyear study groups that engage the learning community at the site. The authors...