Casa de Lindquist - Teaching

Defining Action Research
With the annotated bibliography and literature review complete, it was time to begin my action research. For those new to research, or not familiar with the concept, action research is essentially the study of a subject (aka person) to monitor the effects of some kind of intervention. The research typically answers some kind of “yes” or “no” question, such as “Do graphic novels positively affect student comprehension when used in the classroom?” Action research quantifies the results of the study and typically includes graphs or charts.

Background to Researching Graphic Novels:
As mentioned in Becoming a Graphic Novel Expert, I recently received a grant from the Minnesota Reading Association to purchase graphic novels. To aid in deciding which graphic novels I should purchase for the middle school classroom, I used a bibliography I recieved at a graphic novels conference put on by the Arrowhead Reading Council. The librarian who had created the bibliography even included what level the graphic novel was appropriate for (i.e. young reader, middle school, high school, or mature). I felt confident in my choices before having read all of them because of this resource.

Each year brings a new group of students to my room. So, to get a feel for where they are in their writing, I like to have them write a short story. Short stories and fiction are frequently used in younger grades and they have likely had the most experience with that type of writing, so it's their chance to be creative and show off their strengths in writing.

My classroom needed some of my personality. When I first started teaching, I tossed together some bulletin boards and didn't touch them again for 3 years! Instead, I focused my attention on the curriculum, lesson planning, and assessments. While these are obviously important, it became apparent that I was not taking full advantage of my room. The classroom environment should feel welcoming and safe, not sterile.

As students become interested in reading graphic novels, many will undoubtedly want to try creating their own. This is a great way to get students excited about reading and art! Encourage this enthusiasm and offer these tips for making a graphic novel.

As mentioned in my about me page, I am in the process of obtaining a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with a K-12 Reading Endorsement. As part of this experience, I have met some incredible local teachers through both my cohort and the instructors.