ABSTRACT
This chapter provides three perspectives: the researcher trying to merge theory and practice; the principal raising the standards of learning and teaching at their school with the student always at the forefront in this move; and the novice teacher, searching for and finding mentorship and professional development. Collaborative action research engages by definition the interest and commitment of stakeholders to effect research-based change in context. The success of narrative projects can be crystallized in the key ingredients innovation, exploration, collaboration, communication and celebration. As teachers came to entrust children and parents with helpful linguistic knowledge augmenting their own content-based knowledge, they developed wonderfully creative problem-solving strategies utilizing children's local language knowledge that were downright fun. The incorporation of multilingualism in daily classroom learning agendas continues to be a work in progress, but it has permeated participating teachers' educational missions for children's success. Collaboration was essential to building new practices; establishing equality, trust and respect were fundamental to operationalizing collaboration.
