ABSTRACT
This chapter explores identifying an area of professional interest or concern and researching one’s practice: self-study action research. Being professional and developing professionally involve constantly monitoring one’s practice and questioning oneself. L. Matherson and T. M. Windle state that teacher professional development can no longer be restricted to what they call the ‘sit and get’ model of the past. Improving practice and professional development are interwoven concepts. In relation to the professional reading habits of Irish teachers and drawing on data from a study done in 1997 involving 45 countries, S. Delaney stated that Irish teachers have a low level of professional reading. The chapter examines how teacher can identify an area of concern in their practice by identifying and articulating some of their core values. It explores how to identify some more core values about education and provides a checklist to help teacher identify stages of the reflective process.
