Reframing Questions

I'm working on rewording my questions "wonderings" so they are not "yes"/"no" but open ended -- I have found that I do have several questions that lead from my first!  and not sure where to stop --

Ed Leaders and Blogging

Admittedly, I am new to blogging (I have been a blogger for approximately 20 minutes!), but it seems like a very efficient way to share ideas.  Social media has exploded for relationships because it is such an immediate way to make contact.  Blogging seems the same -- if educational leaders want to share something great, and don't want to wait for a newsletter to come out in weeks, then blogging is the way.  Additionally, to reach anyone outside your immediate circle, aside from conventions or other gatherings, it seems like smart way to get advice or see what's going on in other parts of the state/country. While leaders could "Google" just about any issue or question, interacting with real people in real time, who have experienced the same situation perhaps, would be extremely beneficial to gathering information for a variety of reasons.

Action Research - No Brainer

It seems odd that it took so much research to realize that the people affected by the research should be the ones doing it! Action research is a way to address relevant concerns, problems, or questions faced by an organization (such as a school). Instead of waiting around for some outside entity to come up with a process or program to resolve an issue, those actually involved have the ability to pose a question, investigate, and plan a way to fix a problem, clarify a procedure, or decide on a change that moves them into a new direction.  Those living the situation are much more atune and motivated to reaching a solution than someone who has no stake or interest (except to make money off their program or product.  Schools are organizations that are so unique and have so many variables, this seems like the only logical way to work through issues. Even with similar demographics or locale, the atmosphere of a particular campus might affect whether something that works somewhere else will work in a similar place or not.  I plan on using this type of research, which is fluid and dynamic, and can constantly evolve, to work on a program for my campus -- after school tutoring. Yes, this has been done forever, but my school faces an obstacle in that the majority of our students ride buses since we are rural. Even if they want to stay for help, they cannot because they have no ride.  I did begin to notice that on game days (football, volleyball) students were starting to get in trouble for roaming around campus after school but before the game started (about an hour or so).  It seems that even though parents may not be able to come get them at 4:30 after tutoring, for work or other reasons, they are able to pick them up around 6:00 or 7:00, after the sporting events.  I began to wonder if we could pair tutoring with the game days, providing them the extra help they need while supervising them which would keep them out of trouble for just hanging around, often getting into mischief.  I hope to create a seasonal (fall/winter) program that allows them two days a week to come in, have a snack, get help with assignments, which will be of academic benefit while allowing them to support their peers at games which will be socially beneficial. We all know that all of us love our sports and the snacks beforehand -- so, it only seems appropriate I will title this plan "Tailgate Tutoring."