Kindle the Flame: Become the "Head Learner"

Socrates once said, "Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel." While vessels can be filled to a limit, flames can be continuous. Fire begins with an initial spark, and kindling can be added to keep the fire going. This is a great representation of the true purpose of education. Rather than simply filling the brain with knowledge, the goal of education should be to create and cultivate an inquiring mind. As educational professionals, it is necessary that we adopt this inquiring mind in order to truly become lifelong learners. Action research is one of the many ways that we can kindle the flame of learning. In Leading with Passion and Knowledge, administrator inquiry is defined as "the process of a principal engaging in systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what he/she learns as a result of the inquiry" (Dana, 2009). The educational leader will begin with a question regarding an issue in his/her school, collect and analyze data about the issue, read relevant literature, and finally formulate a plan for change. The great benefit of action research is that it serves as job-embedded professional development; learning occurs synonymously with action. Likewise, it ensures that the research is done by someone who is actually invested in the school's success, rather than some outsider who isn't aware of the specific needs of the individual school district. Instead of having to sit and listen to some "sage on the stage" tell a school leader what he/she needs to do, the administrator interactively participates in inquiry with the teachers and students in the school district to make valuable and relevant decisions. In essence, action research leads to real change. Finally, and most importantly, our lives as educators are dedicated to creating successful students who become lifelong learners. The best way to produce this kind of individual is to model what lifelong learning truly looks like, and action research does that. It puts the school leader in the role of "head learner" (Dana, 2009).