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Featured Programs: Sponsored School(s)Accountability has become synonymous with many four-letter words, as well as it being immediately associated with a negative connotation whenever it is used. Educators do not shy away from the concept, but feel a need to be at the proverbial "table" when establishing the expectations, routines, and procedures that will hold us all accountable. School administrators model effective communication as they set the standard of effectiveness and efficiency at the top.
Nothing upsets a parent more than a teacher's inaccurate grading practices coupled with zero notification about their student's progress. Then to add insult to injury, when the parent discusses these concerns with the teacher, he or she cannot produce any of the work, nor do they have solutions to the problem. Errors and confusion can persist, which is a recipe for complete disaster!
Paperwork is mounting for educators, both teachers and administrators. The ability to document events, tracking data, grading or scoring student work, and even celebrating progress all take a responsibility in keeping accurate records in both instructional and non-instructional settings. Tracking student data is vital to their educational endeavors; adjusting instruction to this data is essential.
The varied methods of recording information is as numerous as there are schools. Whether teachers chose to use technology to track quantitative data such as Web 2.0 tools, an Excel Spreadsheet, or even a data based technology warehouse, it can make life easier for a classroom teacher. Likewise, informal and anecdotal information can be collected on a clipboard, a 3 X 5 note card, or even a journal. This qualitative data may give an even better picture of a student's growth then testing data.
The transfer of work, from the teacher to the student, is a key indicator of an exemplary record keeping system by a master teacher. When students take part in the management of information, especially their own work assignments, they take one more step in the ownership of their learning. When exemplary teachers build agency, there is evidence of this transfer of power. The following five questions will support your transition from being a proficient to exemplary teacher when keeping accurate records.
Many school districts purchase web-based data warehouses. These warehouses contain a multitude of information and data: demographics, academics, attendance, and more. The most used and popular web-based school-wide management tools are PowerSchool and Infinite Campus. There are many more systems, but these two seem to cover all the necessary components and can effectively keep accurate student and teacher records. The ability to have all student information in one location supports a teacher's ability to plan strong instruction.
Teachers must maintain several academic records pertaining to instruction. Here is a short list of academic records many exemplary teachers keep up-to-date in order to support their instructional decision making:
A best practice is only collect data that you are going to use. Many times, educators collect data but do not use for it. However, there are going to be data sets that are required to be collected by administration in your school district. Exemplary teachers are always trying to become more effective and efficient with data. One strategy is collect and use data that supports changing instruction or improving communication. If these two goals are not met, then the exemplary teacher must reassess why they are collecting this data.
Obviously, students are not allowed to access many of these information systems due to FERPA laws, but can be allowed to track their own assignments such as classwork and homework.
Instructional decisions can be as easy as turning to the next page in the book. This does not take into account individual students. The two biggest excuses teachers use with administration for falling into this process: 1) the authors of the book placed this concept next in the book, or 2) the school district pacing guide states that is where the teacher should be at this point in the year. Both of these excuses do not differentiate instruction for the students seated in front of the teacher, nor do the teachers have to take into account data. Obviously, first year teachers (and developing teachers) are learning the curriculum and may not know or understand how to use student feedback and achievement data to change instructional decisions. Exemplary teachers do use this data to change instruction for individual students, groups, as well as for the whole class.
In order for data to be effective, there needs to be a quick turn-around when teachers grade or score student work. The faster they can grade it, the sooner instructional decisions can be made. Changing instructional plans with data helps teachers become more effective and efficient. If a teacher is just plowing through the curriculum to meet a deadline, the teacher has a more difficult time meeting the needs of individual students. Differentiating curriculum does take more time and planning. It is much easier to follow the curriculum word for word, and page by page, with little regard for a student's comprehension and progress. The ability to reteach concepts, provide choice in modalities, as well as adjusting the depth of knowledge a student needs in order to access a learning concept takes time for a teacher. Using data, exemplary teachers use these strategies to differentiate curriculum.
The use of formative and summative data, such as the assessments listed above, can be a great source for teachers to use for tracking progress. For example, a teacher that is using reading data, such as comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and vocabulary, can set individual goals with students. Teachers can find out which piece of data is most concerning. If a student is working on fluency, a possibly goal could be as follows:
Jimmy will read 75 words correct per minute with 95% accuracy on a third grade reading passage by May 1 st .
Using the S.M.A.R.T goal process, the above goal meets on the criteria.
Data can be used to group students by need. In this fashion, teachers are able to teach more effectively and efficiently. When multiple students have the same need, it is redundant and time consuming to teach them individually. Flexibly grouping students by need saves teachers time and helps teachers accurately differentiate curriculum. Grouping students is an art form, which exemplary teachers spend time precisely planning all throughout the school year. The more precise the groupings, the higher the achievement and progress of individual students.
There are many other ways data can be used to change instruction. The previous example is just one such strategy. The goal is for every student to make progress towards learning goals. Some school districts even set a broader baseline goal for all students of "one year's growth in one year's time." This may not be enough for our lowest achieving students. The sense of urgency and advocacy for students is evident with all exemplary teachers.
