My Passions to Date!

Okay, here are my passions to date, my wonderings of wonderings! Oh which one should I choose...

The first involves the impact of implementing a student code of dress on the success of students, if it has one at all. I would also like to discover why such codes have been put in place in most Title I or economically disadvantaged classified schools versus why it has not been put in place in more affluent schools. I am sure that it is to provide a level playing field for all students in the economically disadvantaged schools, but this leads to the question of why are the parents of these students now expected to purchase two sets of dress for their children (school and not school clothes) when they are economically disadvantaged? The school that I work in has a dress code and has had one since I started working there, and it has never been explained to me why exactly the code of dress was initially implemented and what the reason for keeping it is. Many parents complain about having to purchase two sets of clothes for their children, but I have never been witness as to how our district or school explains the reasoning to our parents. Our school has received an exemplary rating for the past eleven years and we are a Title I school and I am wondering if the dress code has any correlation to maybe the students feeling more confident to succeed? I would be interested to approach my district or school administration to get their views on this subject. I believe action research on this topic may benefit the parents and students in the long run because it may finally shine a light as to why a dress code was enacted and what research backs up the reasoning for its place in our district. It may also benefit the teachers at our school because many are frustrated with enforcing the dress code, and I feel this is because they do not have an accurate explanation as to why it is such a big deal to have and why it is enforced.

My next area of wondering is very close to my situation and one that has perplexed me for several years now. It is the topic of grade-level representatives or chairpersons and their appointment and retention. I have been appointed grade level chairperson for four out of the eight years I have been teaching at my campus. I am interested to know if there is a written rule or guidelines as to how grade level representatives are chosen and whether it is through choice or reinstatement that they are kept from year to year. I would also like to know the research behind the effect that grade level chairpersons may have on their colleagues and if they know the responsibilities that must be carried out by the representatives. From reading some of the comments of my fellow colleagues on previous discussion boards, I have found that grade level representative appointment and retention is handled in many ways different from my situation. If I am chosen to be grade level chairperson again in this upcoming year, I would really like to approach my administration with some of these strategies because I am really uncomfortable with my situation. I feel that the team that I work with sometimes feels threatened or resentful by my reappointment and our team does not work as comfortably together as I think we should. I think that action research on this topic may have a definitive impact on my team situation in the upcoming year and I hope it will lead to a more cohesive team atmosphere. We have some changes in personnel on my team this year, so maybe this is my chance to be the leader that I want to be.