Developing Reflective Practitioners Through Goal-Setting and Action Research

A discussion of the professional development of staff at ACS Athens, as they have transitioned to a total growth mindset through evaluation, research, and reflection. It involves training all staff about Action Research within an education setting, to raise awareness of the potential to solve common problems. Although conducting research within the daily work of teachers has been happening at ACS Athens since 2010, it expanded to all staff members in 2019. ACS leaders intend to raise the expectation that ACS Athens faculty, as part of a world-class international institution, should be on the cutting edge of innovation and change in education. As part of the Middle States Association accreditation standards of the Sustaining Excellence Protocol, ACS Athens incorporates this paradigm for teacher growth, school improvement, and recognition of teachers and their work. As consideration of evaluation programs was necessitated in recent years, ACS Athens crafted a Faculty Performance Review and Evaluation Process that includes Action Research as part of the required competency of Professionalism for teachers and staff at ACS Athens. Scheduled professional development time to support Action Research continues throughout the year for it to become commonplace language and action.