Content area
Full Text
"I love the voice of teacher research. It encompasses the personal and professional points of view that are who we are as teachers."
-Third Grade Teacher Researcher
Early childhood teacher research is a form of professional development for teachers and teacher educators. It is about systematically studying teaching and learning and applying results to new situations. Such activity leads to a deeper understanding of teaching. When early childhood teachers question their practice and search for answers, they grow in professional knowledge. Others say it is transformative teaching, in that once teachers have studied an issue of personal importance and deepened their understanding, they do not go back to old ways of doing things. For those who want to practice teacher research, it is helpful first to explore current teaching practices. The process of teacher research may help meet professional standards and is similar to the process involved in National Board of Professional Teaching Standards certification.
Teacher research can be done for many purposes, especially professional development, more effective teaching, and professional contributions to the field. For many experienced teachers who incorporate teacher research into their everyday practice, teacher research is just good teaching. It is what good teachers naturally do in order to answer questions they have about teaching and learning (Shagoury & Power 2012). As one teacher said, "I now realize that as a kindergarten teacher, I can be a researcher too." Teachers who think about their impact on children will question their actions and whether they make a difference. Answer-ing these questions through teacher research helps a teacher better understand children's learning and make necessary changes. This spiraling process fosters professional development and understanding. Teachers who don't question their work don't usually grow as professionals.
The professional life of a teacher has a certain developmental progression to it (Steffy et al. 2000). It may even begin in childhood with an interest in imitating a teacher or playing "school." The passion to enter teaching is often driven by a desire to help people, especially to help them learn. Professional education in teaching may include a 2-, 4-, or 5-year program, or a graduate teacher education program at a college or university. It may also include a teacher training program or alternative teacher certification...