and the LAST paragraph of my thesis reads...
What I have come to realize most through my thesis work is that teaching is not a science. I cannot use a series of recipes and formulas and insert them in my classroom where students will be motivated to learn and do well. What I have learned from this project is that teaching is an art of interconnected systems and a balance between these systems. As I continue with my teaching career I will never have a class again exactly like I had during this study; however, this project has given me the tools to investigate, collect data, reflect, and take action. I can never be simply a teacher again; I will always be a teacher-researcher.