If a person wants to read broadly, there needs to be research for titles and categories. It is not just reading. When my sister and I went to the movies with our dad, we researched the many movies houses in the city, considering and comparing what was on offer. All through school, I searched for topics for papers and then searched for sources on the chosen topic. My senior high school history paper was on Senator Joseph McCarthy. My freshman research paper was on Thoreau's "Walden" but that was rejected. I switched to foods and nutrition.
In a sense, most lessons that a 5th grade teacher teaches are the products of research. What would be appropriate? What would be of interest? What would be challenging without being too difficult? After three years of teaching, I discovered a requirement I hadn't known about: get a master's degree within ten years of the bachelor's degree or lose the state teaching license. I was teaching arithmetic to multiple classes so I researched math and science master's degrees. That path looked too long and expensive but in the meantime, I started looking at research methods. While searching, my advisor told me about a new doctoral program in experimental design, statistical analysis and measurement that was searching for candidates. I had a math minor, I taught math and I had just aced the basic statistics course. Seemed like a natural.
It was and is. My main professional organization throughout my college teaching was the American Educational Research Association. I taught basic statistics to college and graduate students many times.
I guess about 80% of those students dreaded the course, having already heard it was difficult and deciding ahead of time that they wouldn't do well. I had read John Holt's "What Do I Do Monday?" and Ken Macrorie's wonderful "Uptaught." I had written my own text for a course in grading and giving tests. I was committed to using brains and analysis to maximize the number of students who completed all requirements to an A level. So, a very high portion of my statistics students got an A, to the point where I treasured each grade below A as proof that I examined their work carefully and held out for high standards.
The AERA is still rolling along. When I was last involved, a major shift was occurring was between researchers who focused on counts and scores and the newer group using qualitative, biographical and more personal interviews and evidence. It is clear that a typical teacher has more students than can be deeply known on a personal level, while a typical parent knows only a few children deeply and personally. Further, there is a deep divide in American education that is steadily expanding to other countries between a model emphasizing obedience and memorization, and a newer model emphasizing student participation and innovation. Further research is needed.
